Hygge Nook

Travel notes: Luxembourg

I was in Luxembourg recently. I really had no idea quite how small the country is (it's only 51 by 35 miles) but it was really quite pretty and if you like castles, you'll like Luxembourg City. It's case of throw a stone and you'll hit one.

I didn't really have any sightseeing time and it was getting towards dark when we headed into city for dinner at Ikke in Les rives de Clausen so no pics.

 
Image: courtesy of Ikke.

I did, however make time to snap my dinner. (I'm fairly close to no longer being embarrassed of taking pictures of food in restaurants.)

The biggest prawns I have ever seen. They were true monsters of the deep.

 

And a very tasty fish dish.

 

Hopefully I'll go back and spend a little longer exploring next time.

Travel Notes: Whitby

 
I must confess, this summer holiday was not the best I've had. It's not easy taking three young children off somewhere - and certainly not relaxing! We won't even mention the dire summer weather. So I'll leave you with this little montage of places I snapped while out and about in Whitby and Scarborough. The castle and train engine were big hits for the little ones (especially G who thought we'd gone to Sodor for the day).

My postcard to you...

 

Back soon with my next travel note...

Shop alert: Velvet in Brighton

 

I went to Brighton two weekends ago. Despite living in London, and thus well within day trip travelling distance, it was the first time I'd visited. We had quite a charming time despite the traffic and battles for a parking space. The children's favourite bit, was of course, crunching over the pebble beach to splash merrily in the surf. I meanwhile was rather enchanted by the row upon rows of fudge. (Yum!)

 

The shopping looked rather good once you got past the tatty touristy bits. I particularly liked Velvet, which was an absolute treasure trove of pretty knick-knacks that are just perfect to dot around the home or gift. Unfortunately I had left my wallet with with the family lurking across the road, so had just a few pounds in my pocket when I went for a poke about with my daughter. Fortunately that was just enough to spring for a red jewelled heart-shaped trinket box that she's carried around ever since, though I will forever kick myself for not snapping up a gorgeously lacy tunic on sale at the back of the shop.

Small pleasures are sometimes the best anyway.

Travel Notes: Foodie tour at Disneyworld

Think themepark food, think burgers and fries, but my foodie trip to DisneyWorld showed me a very different side (main and dessert) to the traditional image. Disney, hosts of the annual International Food and Wine Festival at Epcot have been working hard to change theme park food perceptions. Here's what I found...

  
Epcot's Teppan Edo (not a burger to be seen)

When I was invited by Disney to try out the foodie options at Walt Disney World, I was somewhat sceptical. My run ins with theme park food have, so far, not been great. Fast food at inflated prices isn't what I want to feed my family.

Disney wanted to see if they could change my opinion and challenged me to find out what's on offer throughout their parks in Florida.

Our first stop is Epcot, which, on a visit six years ago I found utterly boring. Here, they play host to the International Food and Wine Festival, an event that runs for six weeks from late September to early November (and neatly coinciding with our October school half term).

Now in its 14th year, the festival has drawn together 25 street-style stalls to serve up tapas style portions to guests with prices that are, crucially, comparable to general theme park fare. Head to the Greek stall for Chicken Souvlaki with Tzatziki (delicious) or Canada for a beer-infused thick Cheddar Cheese Soup, Maple glazed salmon and Maple Syrup candies (tiny and very sweet) shaped like mini leaves or over to Japan for sushi.

 
Pick up Paprika Beef Stew in Vienna or peruse the cheeses on offer on the Mousecatch menu. 

As portions generally cost between two and five dollars, it's cheap enough to flit between zones to sample the different country's produce, all of which have been created by that country's chefs and paired with complementing wine or beers (at any extra cost).

It works well for family dining too - you don't all have to agree on the same restaurant, instead you can walk around the boardwalk until one of the kiosks grabs you and as the portions are tapas-style (think small side plate with mini portions), food isn't wasted. The only thing I thought may be difficult for family diners were the lack of tables and chairs. There were a smattering of benches overlooking the lake and a few tall tables of the 'stand and lean' variety but otherwise it was a case of eat and walk, not easy if with smaller children.

The grazing idea should appeal to families who may rather snack here and there in the sunshine rather than have a sit down meal and it's certainly fun to try out new meals. We may have sniffed at the escargot on the French kiosk but Karen Haynes, head of Food and Beverage, told us it was a popular option that made it to the final menu cut year after year.

Disney wanted to see if they could change my opinion and challenged me to find out what's on offer throughout their parks in Florida.

Our first stop is Epcot, which, on a visit six years ago I found utterly boring. Here, they play host to the International Food and Wine Festival, an event that runs for six weeks from late September to early November (and neatly coinciding with our October school half term).

Now in its 14th year, the festival has drawn together 25 street-style stalls to serve up tapas style portions to guests with prices that are, crucially, comparable to general theme park fare. Head to the Greek stall for Chicken Souvlaki with Tzatziki (delicious) or Canada for a beer-infused thick Cheddar Cheese Soup, Maple glazed salmon and Maple Syrup candies (tiny and very sweet) shaped like mini leaves or over to Japan for sushi.

 
Pick up Paprika Beef Stew in Vienna or peruse the cheeses on offer on the Mousecatch menu. 

As portions generally cost between two and five dollars, it's cheap enough to flit between zones to sample the different country's produce, all of which have been created by that country's chefs and paired with complementing wine or beers (at any extra cost).

It works well for family dining too - you don't all have to agree on the same restaurant, instead you can walk around the boardwalk until one of the kiosks grabs you and as the portions are tapas-style (think small side plate with mini portions), food isn't wasted. The only thing I thought may be difficult for family diners were the lack of tables and chairs. There were a smattering of benches overlooking the lake and a few tall tables of the 'stand and lean' variety but otherwise it was a case of eat and walk, not easy if with smaller children.

The grazing idea should appeal to families who may rather snack here and there in the sunshine rather than have a sit down meal and it's certainly fun to try out new meals. We may have sniffed at the escargot on the French kiosk but Karen Haynes, head of Food and Beverage, told us it was a popular option that made it to the final menu cut year after year.

Travel Notes: Lake District

 
Lake Windermere, at Bowness near Belle Isle

I used to holiday in the Lake District, one of the most picturesque districts of England, as a child and remember lovely country walks, dipping my toes into Lake Windermere and staying in caravans with my mother, grandparents and brothers. So when I had my own children, I wanted to revisit the quaint holidays of my youth while also introducing them to England's beauty spots.

Top of my list for our first ever family holiday as 2+3, I wanted a traditional lakeland cottage so we could soak up some of the atmosphere after days out. I plumped for a barn conversion in Troutbeck Bridge, a tiny hamlet midway between Bowness and Ambleside.  Horror of horrors, there was no mobile reception in this cluster of cottages but that actually made for a nice vacation free from interruptions.

Our cottage was everything we wanted it to be. Painted fresh white and in the midst of a cluster of cottages on a hillside, it was every bit the homely country cottage. Downstairs was a farmhouse style kitchen dinner (with all the modcons, natch) and a cosy sitting room. Upstairs was three bedrooms, a large master bedroom with toile de jouy fabrics, a pretty pink bunk room with Cath Kidston-style decor and a teenyweeny blue room with just enough space for a single bed.

The view from Barn Cottage and a pretty pink room.

Naturally, we weren't here purely for the cottage. We wanted to experience all the Lakes had to offer our young family.

We managed to pack in plenty of activities for our week there. A day out in Bowness found us with incredibly hot weather, a funfair, an air display and gazing out across the white sailboats of Windermere to the secluded Belle Isle. How we wished we could sail too! We also took a day trip out to Muncaster Castle - a must for The World Owl Centre - and made sure to visit the World of Beatrix Potter museum (do try the delicious take away fish'n'chips from the shop opposite) where the children could paint their own plaster Peter Rabbits while exploring Potter's stories. A visit to Brockhole Visitor Centre found us paddling at the lakeshore and enjoying a country walk easy enough for the little ones, plus their children's play park with huge rope climbs and twisting slides is amongst the best we've ever been to.

Another day saw a boat trip across the lake with a ticket deal that enabled us to go to the Lakes Aquarium too (get these from the ticket booths on the lakeshore at Bowness or try the boat/steam train combo ticket) and another day saw us meandering in Ambleside where we had lunch at the famous Apple Pie (kid's menu £2-£5, mains £5-£6) - the homemade apple pie is a must and we were able to stock up on fudge and Kendal Mint Cake (a very sweet, very minty treat) nearby for pressies.

We did aim to go to Tarn Howes, a noted beauty spot, but the weather defeated us on that occasion. Having said that, the drive there along narrow twisting country lanes was beautiful and we spotted deer - an absolute treat for us!

Lake Windermere at Brockhole. 

For a first family holiday, the Lakes was ideal. Breathtaking scenery, a wealth of things to see and do that was feasible for all the family (and didn't require a second mortgage) plus a great variety of places to stay. We've been back since, staying in a different cottage. We'll go back again when my youngest is a touch older so we can get more out of the many walks here and I'm sure the Lakes is one of those places where we will certainly visit time and again.

Note: Parts of this post were originally published on family travel blog Have A Lovely Time here and you can find more of my travel reviews there too.

Images copyright: Camilla Chafer

Travel Notes: Denmark (part two)

It's impossible to ignore Denmark's Viking history so we had to head to Roskilde where our guide book recommended a renowned museum exploring this rich heritage.

It took us about an hour to drive from Faxe Ladeplads, from the tree lined country lines to the motorway. At the museum, parking was plentiful and free and the museum spanned an indoor section as well as a bridge across to the outdoor working shipyard-cum-museum.

Roskilde Viking Museum

Stopping off at Snekken, the restaurant next door to the museum, we feasted on burgers and barbecue potatoes while the children had mini frikadelles served with sticks of cucumber and carrot with fantastic huge strawberry smoothies too. The food was delicious and a great size, perfect for stoking our little boilers ready for a long afternoon of seafaring history. Plus we had a lovely vista of the working boatyard which bordered the Roskilde Fjord.

Roskilde Viking Museum does have several sets of steps which does make it somewhat awkward for pushchairs but not impossible. Here, we found the remains of boats with great descriptions - in English - and sketches while the waves lapped at the museum's tall windows. Most interesting for the children was the section off to one side were they could clamber on to partial reconstructions of ships, try on Viking costumes and ask the very knowledgeable staff member about all aspects of the ships. They also tried their hand at writing their names in runes and could see a lady weaving sail cloth which would later be used on a ship.

Outside, we could see actual seagoing boats made. This included a Viking ship which did take passengers out on to the fjord plus there were more boats, a stunning photo exhibition and lots of hands-on things such as knots and even example of the trees that were grown to make the boats. We really enjoyed learning so much history right at the heart of where it all started!

On the following day we agreed that Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen sounded too good to miss. So from our lovely summerhouse, we headed back up north to the city. Traffic was far easier to navigate than in London and we parked easily in the underground parking lot just around the corner at Radhus Plaza on HC Anderson Boulevard (20Kr per hour, 200Kr per day). A five minute walk took us over to the tourist information cerntre opposite the Vesterbrogaerde entrance  which we found really well laid out with sections for children, activities, nightlife, the city, the islands. There were pamphlets, magazines, bus timetables and a touch screen PC for all the information you could need. We'd recommend dropping in to snag some paperwork to help plan your journey in a way that guidebooks may miss.

 

Scenes from Tivoli Gardens

Roskilde Viking Museum does have several sets of steps which does make it somewhat awkward for pushchairs but not impossible. Here, we found the remains of boats with great descriptions - in English - and sketches while the waves lapped at the museum's tall windows. Most interesting for the children was the section off to one side were they could clamber on to partial reconstructions of ships, try on Viking costumes and ask the very knowledgeable staff member about all aspects of the ships. They also tried their hand at writing their names in runes and could see a lady weaving sail cloth which would later be used on a ship.

Outside, we could see actual seagoing boats made. This included a Viking ship which did take passengers out on to the fjord plus there were more boats, a stunning photo exhibition and lots of hands-on things such as knots and even example of the trees that were grown to make the boats. We really enjoyed learning so much history right at the heart of where it all started!

On the following day we agreed that Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen sounded too good to miss. So from our lovely summerhouse, we headed back up north to the city. Traffic was far easier to navigate than in London and we parked easily in the underground parking lot just around the corner at Radhus Plaza on HC Anderson Boulevard (20Kr per hour, 200Kr per day). A five minute walk took us over to the tourist information cerntre opposite the Vesterbrogaerde entrance  which we found really well laid out with sections for children, activities, nightlife, the city, the islands. There were pamphlets, magazines, bus timetables and a touch screen PC for all the information you could need. We'd recommend dropping in to snag some paperwork to help plan your journey in a way that guidebooks may miss.

 

Scenes from Tivoli Gardens

Travel Notes: Denmark (part one)

Denmark was on my wishlist of places to visit for a long while before I got to visit last May. Like most of us British folk, the thing that first sprung to mind about Denmark was Vikings... then Lego. That was swiftly followed by Copenhagen, Danepak bacon, a lovely homewares brand called Rice and, something most Brits won't have heard of but will no doubt recognise the feeling of, is a rather beautiful Danish concept 'hygge', the closest translation of which, as I understand it, is familiarity, loveliness, cosiness, beauty and warmth. Nice, hmmm? Guess where the name of this blog derived from!

 

Roskilde Viking Museum, yummy food, pantomime in Tivoli Gardens

I was certainly eager to see what other exciting things Denmark held for us, find out whether the summerhouse we'd be staying in embodied hygge and quite what a Danish beach holiday might be like.

We were on a sail/drive holiday which meant catching a DFDS ferry from Harwich which would transport us and our car across to Esjberg in Jutland (West Denmark) overnight. The port was very well set out and despite my fretting about checking in a car, three children and two adults, I needn't have worried. It was super smooth. We literally drove in to the port yard and into lanes were we all waited in the car until our lane was signalled through and our passports checked before crawling in a single lane on to the Dana Sirena.

 
Gabe just looked at this picture of us on board, identified us, and stated, 'Mummy loves me.' Melt.

If you are planning a trip on a ferry through Harwich, there's a Morrisons petrol station and shop immediately to the right of the gates where you can stock up on fuel and provisions for the journey. Now, I say provisions because dining on ship is incredibly expensive. It was in fact, the most expensive meal we've ever had as a family and you're pretty stuck with it. Our buffet meal for two adults and two children (who barely ate) and our infant (who went free) totalled a whopping £98. But it was either that or go hungry for the night. Not an option. Similarly breakfast would have been an expensive affair had we not taken some snacks. If I was to take this crossing again, I'd stock up on a picnic dinner prior to boarding.

The journey itself was smooth. We were booked into an inside cabin with four berths and an ensuite that was neat and comfortable. A small box of toys would not have gone amiss in the cabin but we were somewhat prepared to avoid cabin fever by packing some colouring things, new books and various things to entertain them. Gabriel, then 23 months, found the rattling wine bottles in the shop far more exciting than anything else! Naturally you could go on deck too and try to spot sea creatures (unsuccessful on this occasion). The drive and overnight sail was very long haul for the younger children and there were some frayed nerves as we tried to entertain and not lose anyone overboard.

Finally we arrived in Denmark at midday, ready for a three-hour drive over to Faxe Ladeplads where we were to stay in a Novasol summerhouse. 

 

Baltic coastline at Faxe Ladeplads

Travel Notes: Paris

I made a promise to myself a while ago. I would see Paris before I turned 30, and last weekend I made it with days to spare. We booked a hotel minutes from the Eiffel Tower (though our room's view was of a beautiful avenue) and spent a weekend sucking up all that is gorgeous and wonderful about Paris.

 

The Eiffel Tower; from top, Louvre, Moulin Rouge, Laduree

We set off from London on an early Eurostar on Friday morning, arriving around lunch time. After a whizz around on the metro to get to our hotel, we started off with a visit to the Eiffel Tower. It's size just blew me away. I knew it was big, but wow! And the crowds? Wow.

We left the Tower in our wake, strolled across the Champs du Mars and bought ice creams outside the Le musée de l'Armée, distinctive due to its roof. Next up on our walking tour was crossing the Seine, into the Tuileries and from there to the Louvre, which was, of course, amazing. We made sure to visit Mona Lisa (she looks better in situ) and Venus di Milo and walked all over visiting the Egyptian exhibitions and Renaissance paintings. If you've ever watched The Da Vinci Code you could be excused for thinking that the small pyramid that meets the inverted pyramid in one particular scene is part of the museum. It's not. It's in the middle of a little shopping centre and totally devoid of ambience though the light refracted prettily from the glass.

Tea was taken in a outdoor cafe in the Tuileries as it started to turn chilly, followed by dinner at a great little pizzeria in the Marais district where a white cat mingled with diners and we saw the Notre Dame by night.

 

Champs-Élysées with Arc de Triomphe in the distance, pretty flowers, fountain at Place de la Concorde

Saturday was even more hiking! We visited the Eiffel Tower again then walked towards the Arc de Triomphe, admiring the beautiful buildings with their balconies and shutters and the beautiful carved wooden entrance doors. The Champs Elysee was a must and we made sure to visit Laduree for some macaroons (I confess I have been holding out on the macaroon craze so I could eat my first one in Paris) in delicious flavours and picked up gifts in pretty boxes.

A delicious display in Laduree

From here we peeked into the Grand Palais and then walked to Musee d'Orsay where we browsed the scultpures for hours and had lunch (smoked salmon salad) in the most ornate tea room ever. The evening was spent dawdling around the Latin quarter, eating nutella and coconut crepes bought from street vendors. Yum.

 

Sacré Cœur by day, Eiffel Tower by night

All too soon it was Sunday and we had enough time to visit the Sacre Coeur and pick up some presents - a little Eiffel Tower snow globe for my daughter, a flashing yoyo for oldest son and a wooden train with letters carved into my youngest's name, which he just loves. Then it was back on the Eurostar (via Paul's for sandwichs and chocolate macaroons) and home.

Things we have learned:

+Paris is way more expensive than London. Most of our museums are free, most of Paris' are pay entry.

+Parisienne cyclists are tres chic. Heels and jaunty scarfs anyone?

+Don't buy drinks from street stalls (3Euros for a coke!). Bring your own.

+One of the metro lines has double decker trains. Cool.

+We'll definately go back.

Look out for more travel notes!

Can you guess where I'm going?

The OH and I are taking a little trip next week. For once it's nothing work related, it's to honour my impending 30th birthday mid-April. Can you guess where we're going?

 
I know! Could I have squeezed in any more Eiffel Towers?

I've lived in London for almost seven years now and Paris is a mere hop, skip and a jump across the channel, yet I've never been. It probably takes less time to get there on the eurostar than it does to get home to see my family (it's sure quicker to get to Brussels!) I have a little list of very touristy things to see and do. I have no qualms about touristy things. I want to see the beautiful icons of our neighbour - the Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Champs-Élysées, Le Sacré-Cœur, Laduree (mmm!). I don't want to traipse round back streets pretending to be disinterested in these amazing places.

Let me know if you have any reccomendations for places to go/see/eat?

From top left: Shopper bag, Next; Postcard purse, Accessorize, Eiffel bag, Timmy Wood, L'amour earrings, Accessorize, Cluster necklace, Accessorize (I think I will buy matching necklaces for my daughter and I), Macarons, Laduree.