I had the luck to get a last minute booking at Alma, the two star Michelin restaurant of Chef Henrique Sa Pessoa in Lisbon last week, one of only two restaurants in Portugal with two stars. It opened four years ago. While one dish was superb, another was served incompletely, and my waitron let the restaurant down. Continue reading →
Tag Archives: WhaleTales blog
Sweet Service goes to El Corte Inglis Porto; Sour Service Award goes to Uber Lisbon!
The Sweet Service Award goes to El Corte Inglis department store in Porto, which has a fabulous free collection service at key tourist points and hotels in Porto. I made use of it to get to the store from the Se Cathedral, and to be dropped off back at my hotel. The second driver was a tour guide, pointing out key tourist attractions to me. On arrival at the store, I was told about the VIP promotion for foreigners, receiving 10% off on their purchases, which credit can be redeemed in certain departments. Whilst my shopping experience with the MAC cosmetic assistant was far from satisfactory, the Cosmetics Manager made up for it by assisting me with the payment of my purchase of their lipstick, given that the line that I like is to be discontinued. I was also invited to the restaurant, to enjoy a free Pasteis de Nata, and a glass of Port or a cup of coffee, graciously substituted for a lovely Tetley’s Tea when I requested it. And I could use the 10% credit to buy a fruit knife for my Camino journey. Continue reading →
Seven young SA chefs make S. Pellegrino Young Chef 2020 list for Africa and Middle East, represent top restaurants!
S.Pellegrino has announced the Top 10 Young Chef 2020 Edition chefs, of which seven of the ten finalists for the Africa and Middle East region are from South Africa, spread around the country, but none from Cape Town. Kayla-Ann Osborn from Chefs Table made the Top 20 Eat Out List last year, and was announced its The Rising Star in 2017. Continue reading →
Chewton Glen offers a variety of cuisine for its guests, made with ingredients from its Kitchen Gardens!
I have visited Chewton Glen in the New Forest annually since my son Alex started working there five years ago, moving over from Delaire Graff Estate to the fellow Relais & Chateaux property. Over time I have tried out the various eating options at the hotel, and tried them all out again on my most recent visit last week. Continue reading →
Facebook, Instagram, and Gmail accounts back up again, after a severe hacking attack!
My Social Media accounts were severely hacked while I was in the air flying to London on Tuesday evening 28 May. It has taken a week, and the extreme patience and cleverness of a dear friend, to unhack my Facebook and Messenger, Instagram, and Gmail accounts, everything now back up and running since yesterday. Continue reading →
Lyndhurst in the UK New Forest home to Alice in Wonderland!
On many visits to my son since he started working at Chewton Glen Hotel five years ago, we have driven through Lyndhurst, a town characterized by its Tudor style architecture and always busy High Street, dominated (modernly) by a Maserati dealership! I paid it a visit during my stay, on a lovely sunny 21C day. The town is associated with Alice Liddell, the person who inspired the main character with the same name in ‘Alice in Wonderland’ by Lewis Carroll. Continue reading →
The Highcliffe Food and Arts Festival celebrates craft food and beverages from the New Forest: 1 June 2019!
This past weekend the Highcliffe Food and Arts Festival was held, the emphasis being on the Food, with Beverages, and gins in particular, of the New Forest area. Highcliffe is a small town down the road from Chewton Glen, the hotel at which my son works in the New Forest in southern England, an area well-known for its heathland, forest trails, and native ponies. And it surprised me at the variety of craft beverages and craft foods that were on offer to buy, in full size or as a tasting portion. Continue reading →
Sweet Service Award goes to Sorbet; Sour Service Award goes to Handyman Dimitri!
The Sweet Service Award goes to Sorbet in Camps Bay, for the wonderful service by Lauren for doing a leg wax and by her colleague for doing a mini pedicure, with extra love and care, on the eve of my departure overseas. I am so delighted to have switched from the Sea Point to the Camps Bay Sorbet branch almost a year ago. Continue reading →
Chef Jean Delport continues his cuisine creativity at Leonardslee Lakes & Gardens in the UK!
Last Thursday my son and I visited Leonardslee Lakes & Gardens in Horsham, West Sussex, in the UK, on my first day of visiting the country. I loved seeing Chef Jean Delport, previously working at my then favorite restaurant Benguela on Main in Somerset West, and enjoying his creative take on Afternoon Tea at the estate.
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WhaleTales Blog and SwitchBitch Book 3 go on a new exciting adventure, step by step!
Today is the first day of a three-month adventure on three continents, and including five countries. Not only is it a personal journey, but it also completes my SwitchBitch Book 3 which I stated writing two months ago, and gives me the opportunity to visit and review restaurants I eat at on my Blog. Continue reading →