Romantic Picnic Spots in Paradise

It is snowy a lot down here so I feel that a piece of sunny paradise is in order. These pictures were taken from the Six Senses luxury resorts, which are absolutely stunning vacation places.

Guests at any of the Six Senses resorts stay in their own villa with generous personal space. Although the villas respect the country traditional architecture, their style displays a hint of modern architecture. These resorts are unique and remarkable.

But even though you do not live in such an idyllic place, you can still throw a fabulous romantic picnic. As I checked how Six Senses designed the private dining experience for their guests, I can see that the same elements are reused and adapted to the surroundings.

The Basic Recipe

If you wish to host a romantic dinner, find a beautiful secluded spot, bring up lots of deep cushions, rattan stools or even a table and chairs. Add candle lights, throws and serve a bunch of appetizers. Bring exotic looking trays in earthy materials. Hire a caterer and ask them to set it properly so it is easy to display on site.

Categories: PARTY ideas OUTDOOR TRAVEL

posted @ Wednesday, March 05, 2008 12:32 PM | Feedback (4)

Social dining at Kultura in Toronto

It is fun to go at a trendy restaurant with a young, well-dressed crowd, beautiful décor and most important with incredible food. That was on my agenda last Saturday night. I elected Kultura as the place to review.

My husband and I went to dinner with three of friends that were participating in PodCamp Toronto. Earlier that day, I tried to reserve a table for 2 but Kultura was already fully booked. They told us that we could eat sitting at the counter of the Lounge. That is what we did with our friends.

Everybody enjoyed the meals. Since we were sitting at the lounge, it was noisier but we could still have a conversation. Executive Chef Roger Mooking brings a new twist on multi-ethnic cuisine. The dishes surprise us with an unexpected mix of flavors. The food presentation was imaginative.

Categories: FOOD + drinks DINING out

posted @ Friday, February 29, 2008 4:43 AM | Feedback (7)

Dinner at Laloux with Jennifer of Design Hole

I got the pleasures to meet Jennifer of Design Hole while she came in Montreal to celebrate her birthday with her husband.

We read each other blogs and we communicate through Facebook. It was fun meeting face to face. A lot of fabulous restaurants are closed on Sunday. Since she and her husband are foodies, I suggest that we eat at Laloux, a French Bistro in Montreal.

The first course

We all enjoyed a delicious meal. Everything was plated. We like it so much that we forgot to take pictures until the desserts. For the appetizers, our table selected:

Scallop Carpaccio, lime and avocado vinaigrette, fennel, radish and mujjol caviar
Smoked squash soup, maquerel, oven dried tomato, glazed onions, marinated mushrooms
Tomato broth soup with fresh basilic.

Categories: DISHING tips DINING out

posted @ Wednesday, December 05, 2007 6:50 PM | Feedback (3)

Double-Take: a retrospective of Bettina Forget's paintings

To make your dinner party more special, think about adding a little field trip.

Tips on how to entertain your guests

Visiting a small art exhibition in a private gallery forms an ideal activity because it does not take too long. They occur all the time so you get no problem finding one at the last minute.

You can invite your friends for a casual dinner at your place or if it is still early, stop for a drink at a cool bar before dining.

The secret of a great event is to have several activities and moving around. When you do that, you always feel that the night was more exciting. Plan for activities that are nearby and that are easily accessible by everyone.

If you invite people who do not know each other, the opening activity acts as an ice breaker. The conversation will be livelier at dinner.

About the Double-Take exposition

Bettina Forget is an adorable talented artist. We went to her latest vernissage last Wednesday. I mixed pictures taken by my husband with some of her own to give you an idea. If you are looking for more significant Christmas gifts, consider paintings. For collectors and home décor fans, paintings can be at the top of their wish lists.

Categories: GIFT ideas DINING out

posted @ Friday, November 30, 2007 12:26 PM | Feedback (1)