Travels In The Faroe Islands - Part 6

And yet another dessert that resembles a work of art, served at Raest in Torshavn, the capital of the Faroe Islands. Sebastian Jimenez, who hails from Mexico, is one of the most creative chefs around. Presented here on a blue and white tile is a churro containing a dollop of white chocolate along with coriander seeds, and topped with cornflowers. Next to it is a typical triangular-shaped Mexican snack, but here it’s made with rhubarb juice.

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Travels In The Faroe Islands - Part 5

In Torshavn, eating at Raest couldn’t be more of a delight. The new chef, Sebastion Jimenez, hails from Mexico and had worked at the 2-Michelin-starred Faroese restaurant, KOKS. Now he puts a creative Mexican twist on the traditional fermented dishes at Raest. This is one of several yummy desserts served in their multi-course menu. At the end of the long spoon is sea truffle (a seaweed) ice cream sprinkled with dry sea truffle — it provides a nice umami-ness. The delicate thin cookie — it’s made of corn but inspired by a Faroese version — sits atop corn flan and tonka plus parmesan shavings.

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Travels In The Faroe Islands - Part 3

ROKS is one of several delectable restaurants in Torshavn, the capital of the Faroe Islands. This stunning dish is razor clam served raw in its shell and topped with foraged flowers. The two-story restaurant is centered around serving fresh-from-the-sea fish and seafood in two multi-course menus. 

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Some of my fave cafes/restaurants on St. Croix in the Caribbean

 On St. Croix, USVI, by far, my favorite place to hang out in Frederiksted was Polly’s At The Pier. I could linger for hours at their atmospheric courtyard in the rear with a slice of lemon cake and an iced latte.

With twinkling lights strung about, tiki torches flickering, and carved walls dripping with foliage and inset with lighted niches, the outdoor courtyard at Savant, a St. Croix restaurant that has a romantic vibe.

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Spectacular Landscapes in Nevis

 

At the Montpelier Plantation and Beach in Nevis, history seamlessly melds with nature in a landscape that resembles a botanical garden. Here, an old sugar boiling copper was repurposed as a planter for umbrella palms.

I could certainly get used to this spectacular sunset view from the Great Room. This is also the view that diners have from the terrace of Restaurant 750 that’s part of the main house where the Great Room is located. 

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A Five-Star Accommodation for Garden Lovers

I have a love affair with botanical gardens or actually gardens of any sort. That's why finding a boutique accommodation in Madeira, a Portuguese island, that's enveloped by blooming flowers and other verdancy was a surprise. No matter where you walk on this property, whether one of two swimming pools, any of the restaurants or cafes, or your accommodation, you'll have garden views. To find out more, check out my recent article for Forbes on Estalagem Quinta da Casa Branca.

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Another Connecticut Day Trip From New York With Beach Access

A little over an hour from New York City, Southport, Connecticut is a bucolic waterfront town with a historic district peppered with grand 18th century houses. (The town dates to the 1600s and, given that had a successful port, was a favorite of wealthy sea captains and merchants who built their grand dwellings here.)  I strolled along the streets of the historic center of Southport, Connecticut and found that no matter the weather or time of day, this village is enwrapped in the charm of another era.

Here are some of the must-sees in Southport:

Southport Park is a 10-acre forested expanse smack in the middle of the town’s historic district. No matter the season, it’s worth walking its few trails, including one that loops beside a stream, past interesting rock formations.

The historic district is a mere scenic 20-minute walk to the beach, which is a simple curve of sand in a neighborhood dominated by immense mansions.

The Pequot Library, which dates from the late 1800s, retains so many other-era features, including two wood-paneled reading rooms with wood-burning fireplaces, original Tiffany stained-glass windows, and a grand stone, granite facade.

The Grey Goose is a local favorite for well-prepared food, and drinks. Despite the din, the environment is cozy with rugged wood beam columns, soft amber lighting, and a stone walled fireplace. They offer daily specials that are worth trying, including the blackened red snapper tacos  with avocado and pico de gallo.

Having dinner in an old railroad station waiting room hardly sounds like it would be an upscale experience. But, Paci defies the rules. By far, this is Southport’s best restaurant and one that shouldn’t be missed. The new glassed-in bar -- you can see the trains whizzing by -- is perfect for enjoying one of their many wines by the glass as well as anything on their dinner menu. Their signature meatball appetizer is the best around. (The recipe which includes pine nuts, raisins, sweet onions and garlic, comes from the owner’s family.)

The casual Horseshoe Cafe and Tavern has been in business since 1934. It’s a local favorite for hanging out with a glass of beer or wine to accompany a basket of freshly-made popcorn.

For a picnic lunch, my pick is the Spin and Span Market, a sandwich shop/grocery with tasty fixings. These include a popular turkey chili with melted Vermont cheddar, as well as the tarragon chicken salad wrap with apple bacon, mesclun greens, and plum tomatoes.

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Art and Other Treasures in Hudson, New York

All it took was a two-hour Amtrak trip from Manhattan to Hudson, New York for me to be
enwrapped in a creative, bucolic environment. Disembarking from the circa 19th
century train depot, I started my adventure by wandering along Warren Street,
Hudson’s main drag that gently slopes uphill from the riverfront.  The buildings
lining this main street as as
well as the cross and parallel streets date back centuries and encompass an
array of architectural
styles, including Italianate, Queen Anne and Colonial Revival.

I chose to spend three days midweek in this Hudson Valley town where I knew the
vibe would be chill as opposed to weekends in the summer when droves of
Manhattanites and other tourists flood the streets. The downside is that many galleries
and some restaurants are either closed or, as far as the eateries, open only for dinner.
And few restaurants open early for breakfast.

Contemporary art peppers numerous outdoor spaces and I scoped out many of
these as I explored the town’s many nooks and crannies. Despite the fact that
the shops exude a Brooklyn hip vibe, Hudson also harkens to another long-ago era,
and melds the unexpected: a Vietnamese food truck easily blends in with an artisanal cheese shop.

These are my recommendations:

Where to Stay: The Hudson Milliner Guesthouse and Inn.  Set smack in
the middle of happening Warren Street, this charming inn could easily be
overlooked because, from the outside, it looks quite ordinary, a narrow
edifice with no sign. Each of the four rooms is named for a style of hat:
Cloche, Fedora, Bowler, and Top Hat. I stayed in The Cloche that, like the
other rooms, retains many of the features of this renovated former 19th
century hat  shop: Ornately carved vintage wooden bed, original window
glass, elaborate ceiling molding, fireplace with gilded mirror on the mantel,
claw foot bathtub. The creative and helpful owners -- Charlotte is a painter
and Shannon, a photographer -- deck out the public and private spaces
with their unique works.

Where to start the day: Tin Can Juicery, which opens early, at 7AM
and has a perfectly shaded patio to relax. I ordered a custom juice that
blended orange with pineapple, pear and lemon juice.

Where to have breakfast: Le Perche

This is the place to enjoy an utterly quiet breakfast in a lush backyard
garden. Among the many delights are delicious baked goods. The
breakfast egg sandwich is made with homemade brioche plus Gruyere
and avocado.

Where to have lunch: Talbott and; Arding

The prices are high but so is the quality at this shop where you order
sandwiches and salads and then, on a sunny day, take them outside to
one of several sidewalk-side tables. Farm-fresh peaches and sugar plums,
and heirloom tomatoes, as well as a salad of corn with arugula, and
thin slices of squash and hot peppers are some of my favorites.

Where to have coffee or a glass of wine: Or Gallery and Tavern

This is a comfortable, informal, funky cafe, bar, gallery set in a converted
garage that became my favorite place for coffee or a glass of wine.
(Or is the Icelandic word for arrow or scar, and apparently the owners --
one is a photographer and the other makes leather goods -- have a love
affair with Iceland. Their creations hang on the walls.) The large patio
out front, with simple wooden plank tables and benches, some with
cushions, and umbrellas makes for an informal hang

out to while away the afternoon or evening. (Tibet prayer flags are
strung all about.) Inside where Japanese-style paper lanterns hang
from the ceiling, light pours in through the wide-open garage doors
and windows.

Where to have dinner: Lil Deb's Oasis

Colorful, low-key and playful, this Mexican eatery is decorated with pastel
colors, and tall votive candles. Like so many things in Hudson, here
you’ll find some unexpected menu items. For example, I chose the salad
of the day, which consisted of heirloom tomatoes, radishes, and a peanut
sauce melded with a salsa and topped with sesame seeds -- it’s  spicy
and bold with flavor -- and side of plantains with a scrumptious cilantro
sauce. For a light dessert, I selected the coconut snow, which is made
with grated frozen coconut milk topped with pistachios and a little black salt.

Where to have dinner: Swoon Kitchenbar

If it’s Tuesday, then Swoon is the place to be for dinner to enjoy Taco
Tuesday. I sat at the bar under an elaborate tin ceiling with molding
where the contemporary art on the walls caught my eyes as did the
huge windows looking out to the street. I mingled with several locals,
finding out that we all came for the tacos, which change

weekly. This night it was chicken, served with rice in a tiny cast iron skillet.

And, luckily I saved room for dessert: Genoise, a sponge cake with a
lemon posset, lemon crumble, and a scoop of a roasted blueberry sorbet
along with fresh blueberries.

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Enjoy A Flower-Centric Menu in Bangkok

Anyone who has a love affair with flowers and gardens as I do will want to visit a new restaurant dedicated to edible flowers. Midnight Moon recently opened in Bangkok on the property of the Museum of Floral Culture. The latter museum is ringed by a stunning garden, and the museum honors Queen Sikirit of Thailand who has long been a proponent of preserving gardens. Reserve a table at Midnight Moon for the multi-course, flower-centric menu and you'll also be treated to a guided tour of the garden at night. Find out more about the Museum and Midnight Moon in the article I recently wrote for ForbesLife.

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Art is Everywhere in Beacon, New York

A mere one-and-a-half hours from Manhattan via Metro North, the town of Beacon, New York is a bastion of creativity and calm, that is, if you visit during the weekday. (Weekends are ultra hectic.) I recently started the day perusing the contemporary paintings and sculptures at the Dia Art Foundation, a sun-streaked space that’s surrounded by placid gardens that change with the seasons. Downtown is within easy walking distance where, because of the sweltering weather, I made Zora Dora Paleteria my next stop. It’s a very informal space where you can find an array of inventive, handcrafted ice pops, including some that pack plenty of heat from chilies and flavor from mint and other herbs and spices.  You can sit inside, though it's much more atmospheric to sit and people watch at the single table right along the sidewalk out front. My favorite place for lunch not only for the the cuisine (including the scrumptious baked goods) often made with locally-sourced ingredients, but also the serene garden in the rear is Homespun Foods. You can’t go wrong with their cheddar and chutney sandwich on whole grain bread, or the vegetarian cheese and nut loaf served with tomato chutney. Then it was time to work off all the calories by walking lengthy Main Street all the way to -- would you believe -- a waterfall that’s at the end of downtown. In between, stop and look up and about and all around, dropping into the numerous galleries and emporia. You’ll find boldly hued art just about everywhere.

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The Hidden Side of Curacao

Curacao is a many-sided beauty. As I roamed about this island that's part of the Dutch Antilles, I found that the only way to make this discovery was to traverse Curacao's historic, creative and arid spaces.

Sure, most people flock to the UNESCO World Heritage Site in the colonial town of Willemstad. But, instead of concentrating on Punda, the neatly laid-back historic neighborhood, I opted to take an architectural walking tour of Otrobanda, a pastel-hued, less affluent historic neighborhood.

My guide pointed out the lone black roof tiles among a sea of terracotta. Then I found out that it all dates to a 19th century governor who imported the more durable black, glazed tiles -- they carried a status cache -- from Holland for his mansion. Trying to emulate him, some citizens added black roof tiles to their homes, not glazing them, however, because of the added cost. The result: they're not as durable and they absorb even more heat.

Find out more about activities that will satisfy gourmands, art and architecture aficionados and nature buffs in my National Geographic Traveler - Intelligent Travel article.

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New Poké Restaurant in New York City

Standing on the corner of Third Avenue and 38th street -- a part of New York City I could call my virtual home -- I stared at a curb sign declaring “Sons of Thunder” with an arrow pointing east on 38th. It was barely 9 am and I hesitated following the arrow, wondering if this was some after hours club that forgot to take down their sign. (I hadn’t bothered to read the rest of the sign: poké.)

For those not in the know, poké is the ubiquitous Hawaiian thickly sliced, raw fish side dish that’s typically served atop rice with a soy-based or other sauces. It can be found anywhere and everywhere on the Hawaiian islands, from convenience stores to gas station markets.

That morning, I ended up circling the neighborhood, doing errands, and, intrigued by the curb sign, made my way back to 38th Street where I met John and his brother James, the delightful owners of Sons of Thunder, a name referring to a childhood nickname for the brothers.

James told me, “The idea for the restaurant was for it to be like a Hawaiian beach shack serving burgers, and chili dogs; poké would be a special." (The Hawaiian theme is a result of their grandparents emigrateing from South Korea to the U.S. via Honolulu; much later the family moved to San Diego.) But because of an unforeseen problem with the gas lines, Con Ed couldn’t turn on the gas for awhile. That meant no grilled chicken, burgers or fries. So it became poké all the way. “It was a blessing. If we had had the gas, we would never have explore it,” said James.

Yes, the menu is limited for now, but it’s a yummy one. (You can choose from among salmon, ahi tuna, steamed octopus or tofu.) My favorite dish is the salmon tostada made with chopped sashimi grade fish, baby greens, avocado and chili dust served on a warm corn tostada  that’s drizzled with baja salsa. Another dish -- it’s not on the menu -- is a bowl of brown rice and house-made beef chili paired with edamame, diced tomatoes, warm cheddar cheese sauce, onions and avocado slices. (If you're really hungry or if you stop by with a friend, order both.)

The brothers are very much attracted to a green ethic. Their ice cream is organic and locally sourced. The salmon is shipped in from the Faroe Islands -- yes, you heard right, all the way from the pristine Faroe Islands [you gotta love these guys] -- where the fish is farmed sustainably in its natural habitat using no chemicals. They have one white and one red wine on tap -- I prefer the bright, red berry notes of the red -- from the Finger Lakes region of New York State.

Meat eaters clamor for the chili cheese dog -- you can ask for fresh jalapeno for an added kick; or the banh mi dog served with mayonnaise, cilantro and jalapeno.

I prefer eating in since light streams into this sparsely furnished, informal space, thanks to an immense skylight in the rear dining room.

If you’re in Midtown East -- or even if you’re not -- this is a restaurant worth checking out. Even without the grilled items, you’ll delight in the fresh food, the creative preparation and the hospitality of the staff.

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A Cultural Walking Tour in Queens, New York

What tourist doesn't know that Brooklyn's myriad neighborhoods are often radiating coolness? And what about my hometown borough of Queens? The words hip and Queens aren't usually uttered in the same sentence. Well, that's at least the way I saw it, until I took a walking tour with BQE Tours: The Brooklyn Queens Experience.

I signed up for a tour of a neighborhood -- Long Island City -- that I hardly know and that I had a bad experience with just a month before. I had a meeting and gave myself a crazy about of time -- two hours -- to find the venue close to LaGuardia Community College. Not only was I completely lost down streets that ended up at the rail yards and other unseemly venues, but I stopped five residents and students on the street and not one could help me, Google maps aside.I ended up asking two police officers who pointed me into the college -- my meeting was in one of their conference spaces -- but I still had to negotiate through stairwells thick with clouds of marijuana smoke, elevators that stalled and a host of other obstacles. Needless to say, I didn't end up with a great opinion of Long Island City. Then along came John Garay, co-founder, along with his wife, Elissa, of BQE Tours, who showed me that Long Island City is a creative neighborhood, brimming with a cool, hip vitality. Who needs Brooklyn when you've got Queens at my doorstep?

Unlike some other walking tours, this one was intimate -- they allow a max of 12 people -- and not one full of dry historical facts and figures, but rather an experiential tour where we were able to interact with artists at studios and galleries and sample locally-sourced food products. (Though John threw in enough history when appropriate. I found out that the neighborhood was founded in 1870 and it was its own city for a brief time. Plus 48% of its citizens are foreign born.)

Long Island City is an expansive neighborhood so John explained that we would have to do twice the walking as in their DUMBO tour: about 3.5 miles.

Though my express bus zooms over the Queensborough Bridge every day and my view hovers over Long Island City, I had no idea that it's a neighborhood where Jet Blue has its headquarters, where Brooks Brothers does its tie manufacturing, where Rolex has a factory and where a film industry is booming.

John pointed out Tourresol, a restaurant run by a French man who claimed that, when he first settled here, Long Island City reminded him a French village where, after hours, it was a ghost town. (Not any more!)

Our first stop was the small studio of artist Eduardo Anievas who's originally from Cantabria, Spain. Most of the wall space is hung with his acrylics and oils, mostly portraits and figures, some intriguingly abstract. His contemporary city scape bears shadowy figures, some holding umbrellas. I asked him about the inspiration for these pieces and he explained that he enjoys playing with positive and negative space, as well as the interaction between the figure and the background. Anievas enjoys doing small works that he creates rapidly: "In these small ones, I don't show fear because that would show up in my brush strokes." After we discussed painting, Anievas reflected on the evolution of the neighborhood: "By the time I go back to a painting and finish it, a huge building went up. So I feel guilty: they built the whole building and I just worked on one painting."

As we strolled along 28th Avenue, John explained why this street, which leads to Gantry Plaza State Park, is exceptionally wide: it was once the site for the old freight railway tracks. The park, a verdant, riverfront oasis, is named for the gantries and transfer bridges once used to load and unload the rail barges. Though the steel work remains, and gives the park its character, we meandered about, along boardwalks and paths offering stellar views of Manhattan's iconic buildings: Empire State, Chrysler, United Nations, and more. On one pier, several people tossed out fishing lines. Others were sunning on the green lawns, or lounging on Adirondack-style chair. John pointed out a construction site where a new library designed by Stephen Holl Architects -- what a perfect place it'll be to take in the Manhattan cityscape.

Then it was on to the LIC Flea & Food next to the LIC Boathouse. (John told me you can take out a kayak from here and explore the East River.) The Flea & FFoodis focused on all things made in Queens. (Another who knew moment for me.) John had us try several hot, spicy pickles, including sweet Chipotle from PickeMePete. As he gave us time to wander, I became aware that this was a United Nations of fare to sample. There was Baoshoppe Chutta Madrew serving up Ecuadorian sandwiches; and Lumpia Merienda with its Filipino egg rolls. I saw vendors selling Korean beef bowls, fried crabmeat wontons, and Japanese vegetable pancakes. John selected a specialty bundt cake for us to  sample from NYC Bundts that's noted for its itty bitty bundts. My favorite: macha tea with lemon glaze.

We headed across the street to Rockaway Brewing Company -- the oldest brewery in Queens -- where the small pub room whose ceiling is strung with scarlet red hued piping is packed with beer lovers. We were led to the rear room that's home to the brewing facility. Flint gave us a tour, and provided samples of the Original Flagship ESP that has a malty, sweet flavor and Nitro Black Gold Stout with hints of espresso and chocolate.

John was a wealth of surprising factoids, including that the  Empire City Ironworks factory that we passed dates from 1904 and it provided the steel for the new World Trade Center. Farther along our route is the oldest post office in the borough (from 1920) but more interesting was what was across the street: PS1, a contemporary art-focused museum. And -- again I had no idea about this -- in the summer they host Warm Up, an outdoor summer dance party and one that I hope to check out later this month.

Probably the most charming street we walked is tree-lined 45th Avenue, which happened to be a historic district with row houses from the 18070s. No far away, we pay a visit to the Dorsky Gallery that has an ever-changing array of exhibitions. This gallery is curatorial, providing a forum for curators to send proposals of interesting art: conceptually, visually, that speaks to a broad audience and references what's going on in the art scene. Each exhibition is thematic. "Homeland Insecurity: Vanishing Dreams" revolved around artists dealing with catastrophic situations. The current exhibition is "New Ways of Seeing: Beyond Culture." The eclectic selection of works from these world class artists reflects their cultural upbringing. Ivan Navarro and Courtney Smith produced a neon bench. Both of Christian Ruiz Berman's pieces are mixed media: one includes macaw feather and ostrich eggs. Rina Banerjee produced a sculptural collage work, using rooster feathers, gourds, ceramic balls, amber glass vials and much more.

As we continued prowling through the neighborhood, John made sure we saw the variety of experiences LIC offered, from a new indoor rock climbing wall that's become quite popular to an actual rock, a glacial erratic -- yes, it's from an ancient glacier that once rolled through this area -- that sits by its lonesome on 12th Street and 43rd Road.

John Brown Smokehouse is for lovers of BBQ, like myself. The Kansas City-born owner set up a cozy, informal patio in the rear with umbrella tables and benches covered with red and white checkered plastic tablecloths. While we wait for our pulled pork and burnt ends -- they were tender and flavorful, especially with a kick from the Ghost Pepper sauce on the tables -- I checked out the NYC-themed wall murals. One is the Statue of Liberty who's decked out with red lipstick and another is the #7 subway train. On a warm spring or summer afternoon, this is a more than pleasant place to enjoy lunch and hang out.

John ended our tour at the rooftop bar of the Z NYC Hotel, which I also viewed from the window of my express bus as we cruised over the bridge each evening. The hotel's lobby is decorated in a transportation motif, including a mural of the secret City Hall subway station, and antique luggage trunks stacked, making up the reception desk. Floored in astroturf, the roof provides scenic views of the 59th Street (Queensborough) Bridge and many of the city's signature sites, including the old Silvercup bakery that's been transformed into a film studio where the Sopranos and Sex and the City where both shot. With a prosecco in hand, we all toasted a great day in Queens, a borough with plenty of hidden treasure to be had.

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Creative Greek Cuisine in Connecticut

Why in the world would I take the Metro North train more than an hour from Manhattan for lunch? Because I heard that a new, ultra creative Greek restaurant recently opened in Darien, Connecticut. And my two-hour-some round-trip commute was worth it.

Chef Themis Papadopoulos helms the kitchen at Lithos that eventually will have a lovely outdoor terrace on a quiet residential street. He trained in France and it shows. Now, first I have to confess that Greek cuisine isn't my favorite, only because I'm often not surprised by the options. That's not the case at Lithos, where the creamy tarama and xtipito appetizers were so light, they were like puffy cumulous clouds. Tarama, made with codfish eggs, didn't come with the typical heavy fish taste. And the feta cheese-based xtipito is unexpectedly flavored with smoked paprika, as well as green pepper and pine nuts. Octopus at many restaurants is hit or miss; mostly miss. But here it was amazingly tender and flavorful, first slow cooked for three hours in red vinegar, then cooked in canola oil and served with a fava bean spread. One of the biggest surprises were the aoilis: a dollop of beet aoili created by mixing the chopped beats with the tarama; and a mango aoili that contains lemongrass and olive oil -- I definitely did not expect to see lemongrass in a Greek restaurant. Something new on the menu is the sesame feta pie, which has phyllo sprinkled with sesame and honey imported from Greece. (This might be my favorite item on the menu: part sweet, but not cloyingly so, and part savory.) The main fish course, grilled dorade, was cooked with  capers, lemon and parsley with a side of blanched Swiss chard plus kale. (The veggies were cooked in a vegetable broth with garlic and olive oil.) And unlike the rest of the U.S. I'm no fan of kale but combining it with the Swiss chard and cooking it all with garlic provided enough flavor to offset the typical kale bitterness I detest.

I usually avoid Greek desserts which often drip with honey. Here the desserts had perfect balance. The galaktobourek wasn't soggy and overly sweet, as I've often found it in other restaurants. Here, the custard cream was wrapped in phyllo and drizzled with a mildly sweet syrup flavored with lemon. The kataifi was a crispy phyllo tart filled with Brie and topped with pistachios -- typically you wouldn't find pistachios and cheese in this dessert. Even the baklava is different: here the shape is round instead of triangular. Since I'm a chocoholic, the chocolate mille feuille -- something I never found in a Greek restaurant -- was a hit: milk chocolate mousse was sandwiched between chocolate phyllo, with a side of kumquats that had been cooked in rose water.

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