Fitzrovia - New Up and Coming London 'Hood

Travel and Leisure (Jan 2010) takes readers on a tour of one of London's newest up and coming neighborhoods - Fitzrovia. From T&L:

"Just north of Soho, near bustling Oxford Street, sits central London’s hidden neighborhood: Fitzrovia. Home to louche, boho types in the late 19th century (the Pre-Raphaelites and Oscar Wilde lounged in its bars), Fitzrovia’s leafy streets are lined with Edwardian-era apartments, Neoclassical mansions, and onetime warehouses. It hasn’t always been so appealing: 30 years ago when my father, an artist, bought a printing works in a mews to convert into a studio, Fitzrovia had become a grubby, rundown area. Vendors sold cars from the streets, fashion companies used warehouses for wholesale showrooms, and the only landmark was the Transformers-like British Telecom Tower, looming over it all. But in recent years, it has undergone an astonishing, if discreet, revival. Tired of the over-gentrified East End, gallery owners eyed Fitzrovia for its cheap rents and soaring spaces. New restaurants, bars, and hotels soon followed. Madonna even bought a building just north of Oxford Street for Kabbalah’s British headquarters."

Check out the feature HERE.

Nouvelle Haute Cuisine in France

T&L also in their January 2010 issue had a feature on a new wave of French chefs seeking to reinterpret the approach to haute cuisine introducing a modern take to the classic legacy. Notable new Parisian restaurants mentioned included KGB (Kitchen Galerie Bis) and MBC.

Check out the article HERE.

Intimate New Zealand

Known for its vast and beautiful landscapes, sheep shearing and for being the shoot location of the Lord of the Rings movies, New Zealand is definitely on the list of places to visit. Travel and Leisure (January 2010) takes us into the far reaches of this country with an intimate look at the people and their stories.

Check it out HERE.

Don't Buy Shot Glasses as a Souvenir!

So says a fun article in Travel & Leisure's January 2009 issue. When you travel and are looking for a keepsake or memento to remind you of your trip, don't buy stupid things like postcards, snowglobes, shotglasses or keychains. Buy 'unsouvenirs' or random objects that will jog your memory not because they were simply bought there, but because locals actually use them. If you're smart, you can find something that may even provide some utility back home. Onion keeper anyone?

Best places to look for things like that are: supermarkets, pharmacies, hardware stores, cookware purveyors, etc.

Check out the feature HERE.

Textiles of Scotland

Also in T&L's November 2009 issue was a feature on the various textiles of Scotland - tartan, tweed, and cashmere - all apparently much better when handmade in the factories around the Highlands.

Check it out HERE.

Will Flea Markets Ever Appeal to Me?

Travel & Leisure did a feature in their November 2009 issue on the top flea markets around the world. I'm not usually a fan of rummaging through other people's old stuff, but maybe one day.

Check it out HERE.