Our orange house
Sometimes things just work out. While planning for our trip to Portugal, it can get overwhelming try to decide on where to stay in each city. For Lisbon I had debated between Alfama – the eastern part of the city – or a central neighborhood like Chiado or Baixa. Luckily in the end I chose Alfama! What a romantic, beautiful neighborhood!
Arrived in Cadzand
For my birthday, I wanted to spend a quiet day with Koen in Zeeland. I know about Cadzand because of Sergio Herman. He has two 1 Michelin starred restaurants, Pure C and Air Republic, both located in Cadzand and I was curious to see the appeal!
Vrijmoed
For my birthday lunch we headed to Gent to eat at the 2 Michelin star Vrijmoed. Koen and I were both really excited to try the vegetarian menu, which was awarded Best Veggie Menu Benelux 2016 and 2017 by Gault Millau. And of course we ordered an extra dessert – the Stilton “sorbet” which was awarded dessert of the year 2017 by Gault Millau. So many award winning dishes to taste!
As I mentioned in the Dishoom and Ghymkhana posts, this trip to London is all about Indian food! A few months ago I was at a lunch with an Indian family living in London and I asked for her list of best Indian restaurants. She gave me a list of 10 and I couldn’t wait for my next trip to London! Second to check off the list – Indian Accent!
Our home for the weekend
I love that every time we’re in London we stay in a different neighborhood – this time in Richmond! Richmond is all the way west, almost in Surrey and borders the River Thames. Most famous in the district is Kew Gardens and Palace, but unfortunately we didn’t have time this visit to go (definitely on the list for next time!). Our friends live here and recommended if we have time to go for a walk along the river. So beautiful and peaceful – hard to believe we were still in London!
Our starters at Gymkhana
As I mentioned in the Dishoom post, this trip to London is all about Indian food! A few months ago I was at a lunch with an Indian family living in London and I asked for her list of best Indian restaurants. She gave me a list of 10 and I couldn’t wait for my next trip to London! First to check off the list – Gymkhana!
Exploring the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
Koen and I have been to London many times, so it was exciting to hear that Nicole and Adam booked us a Hidden City Hunt! Another way to explore the city, solving riddles and stopping in pubs! We weren’t sure what to expect – but we had beautiful weather, great company, and a lot of fun!
Dishoom Breakfast
I can’t help it – if I’m in London I always go to Dishoom! Dishoom is inspired by the old Irani cafes in Bombay, a faded elegance, and is where you can find delicious street-style Indian cuisine. There are locations throughout London and I’ve already been to the ones in Kings Cross and Soho. Never disappoints.
The most beautiful and most delicious steak tartare in the world!
I love any excuse to eat at Het Gebaar – my favorite restaurant in Antwerp by Chef Roger Van Damme! This time we went with Koen’s parents to celebrate Dook’s birthday! Het Gebaar is located very close to our apartment right next to the Botanical Gardens. The cuisine is typically Belgian with local, seasonal ingredients and can’t-miss beautiful, fantastical desserts!
Beyoncé ❤
So exciting to see Beyoncé now a third time! First in Antwerp, Belgium, second time in Düsseldorf, Germany and now a third time with Jay-Z in Amsterdam, Netherlands for their On the Run II Tour! And for all three times I was with my sister-in-law Barbara ❤
An American in Antwerp 