Yoga, food, surf & sangria

Published on February 28, 2015 | Posted by Clare Garcia

Posted in: Featured, Reviews, Travel, Uncategorized

I love yoga. I also love food, Tarifa, understated luxury and a chilled vibe (with Spanish gin measures). So, I joined forces with my most inspirational (and fun) yoga teachers and planned a holiday.

Located in Spain’s most southern tip (the mountains in the picture are Morocco), Tarifa life revolves around the cafes, chiringuitos (beach shacks), kite and wind-surfing. We’re yet to meet anyone in Tarifa who either, hasn’t been before, or isn’t planning their return. It really is very special.

WHAT’S INCLUDED?

Yoga & Meditation

Two daily 90 minute yoga classes led through vinyasa with a more energising sequence in the morning and a softer practice come sunset. Optional daily pranayama and mediation. All classes with The Dream Team: inspirational Jivamukti yogis Molly Harragin and Stewart Heffernan.

A palace (almost)

Our own 19th century luxe ‘palacete’ Riad Lolita, in the heart of Tarifa’s tiny, yet lively, white-washed old town. THE place to be, with cafes, shops and the beach on our doorstep.

Wholesome Seduction

Wake-up green juices and energy bites, followed by post yoga brunch (lovingly prepared by yours truly). Plus a wholesomely seductive welcome supper around our kitchen table on the 22nd (ditto).

Food tours and fiestas

Because no-where loves eating out, and the night, quite like Andalucia, I’ll take you on a tour of the town following our first morning’s yoga, ensuring you’re armed with the best restaurants, beach bars, shops and must see spots. We’ll also sample sunset beach cervezas, flamenco and my pick of the town throughout your stay. Budget around £15 a head for a (big) meal with wine. Note: Cerveza’s often cheaper than water.

WHEN & HOW MUCH?

22nd – 26th October 2015. Yoga runs 23rd – 26th. Prices from £475 per person based on 2 sharing. Triple rooms and suites also available.

HOW DO I GET THERE?

Airports Gibraltar (40 mins away) and Malaga (11⁄2 hrs away) run countless daily flights. For all info on buses, taxis and car hire go to: The Essentials.

ANYTHING ELSE?

An (optional) Wholesome Seduction cooking class, so you can take your brunches home! Kite surf and windsurfing courses also available.

TO BOOK & FOR FURTHER INFO:

Drop me a mail: clare@rootlondon.com
Click here for more info on Tarifa, here for our ‘palacette’ Riad Lolita and here for Getting there, check-in and what to bring.

Formula 1 Fever 2013

Published on November 6, 2013 | Posted by Clare Garcia

Posted in: Featured, Travel, Uncategorized

When it comes to restaurants, socialising and style, I sit firmly on the side of fuss-free, authentic quality. Fluff, glitz and bling aren’t my thing. One would assume then, that a UAE Grand Prix Paddock Club wouldn’t be on my bucket list. Not so. I doubt even an Isle of Skye Presbyterian minister could resist F1 Fever. Allow me to demonstrate:

I’m blessed with handy friends who take it upon themselves to equip me with VIP passes and uber luxe hotel stays that could bankrupt a Sheik. Lucky girl.

The Pit Lane

Relentless pit stop tire change sessions of Force India and Red Bull. 13+ men, 4 tires, 2 seconds.

Ferrari, McLaren and the super talented and magnanimous, Manish Pandey, writer and producer of the heartbreaking and critically acclaimed docu-film, Senna. I was so moved by this masterpiece (and a tiny bit in love with F1 demi-God, Senna) I blogged it in 2011. Manish is my new best friend, I may have followed him around all weekend. *Hangs head in shame*

F1 team villas. Apparently Lewis Hamilton walked within a hair’s breath of us here. I of course, was oblivious. #fail. And Yas hotel, so well located it straddles Yas Marina Circuit.

Where we cheered Man City against Norwich. Yup, we watched football at the Grand Prix. From the club owner’s boat no less, which thankfully, was much more civilised than the neighbouring party buses. And we had oysters. I like oysters.

Where to stay

Originally destined for Yas Hotel, my (ADORED) friend was forced to move me to Rosewood at the last second. And glad am I. Due to it’s perfect location, Viceroy status and hosting of celebrities and drivers, Yas lobby, and the yachts, are the heart of party F1. With that unfortunately comes Dubai on steroids: Formaldehyde faces, bling, Pick ‘n Mix perfume and pneumatic breasts the size of Timberland’s head – one of the weekend acts with Jay Z.

Abu Dhabi’s latest luxe hotel, Rosewood is the epitome of style, tranquillity, comfort and quality. I’m ashamed to admit, this may have been the highlight of my trip. That and seeing my ADORED friend.

Rosewood even hosts Michelin starred restaurant, Catalan and the prohibitively pricey Galleria Mall. L’occitane is as ‘high street’ as the planners have stooped to; Zara doesn’t even get a look in. From an architectural and design standpoint, however, these are undoubtedly some of the most impressive shop fits I’ve set eyes on.

What to do (other than F1)

My VIP sports whore brother used to live in Abu Dhabi and given my frequent trips to see him, I have lots of friends in the area, being awarded the title of honorary ex-pat. Free time revolves around water sports, brunches, ladies nights (yuck!) and pedicures (yay!).

Being on the water is is essential in summer: 45C+ and 90%+ humidity. It’s therefore virtually unheard of not to know someone with a boat.

Jones the Grocer

Five years ago I ranted relentlessly on the need for Root (my cafe from a former life) out here – call me crazy, but sometimes I’d rather a Kiwi barista coffee over a champagne chaser. When Jones appeared a couple of years later, ex-pats and Emiratis heaved a sigh of relief. And my brother called to incredulously announce someone had opened Root and re-named it. Any attempts to resist the Wagyu burger are futile.

Officially, there are five Jones’ in Abu Dhabi. In fact, there’s a sixth in the Crown Prince’s palace. If it’s good enough for royalty…

For more Grand Prix pictures, go to my 2011 Formula 1 Fever post.

Eating out: Brixton Village

Published on October 2, 2013 | Posted by Clare Garcia

Posted in: Featured, Reviews

On throwing Brixton Village into the brunch option mix recently, I was met with one or two objections, finally settling on I can only assume, a fear of slashed car tires. This multi-cultural, covered (cue: wet weather socialising) market is home to some of London’s most authentic and interesting restaurants and street eats. Even the Chelsea set now concedes there may be more to Brixton than riot police and KFC with a side of spliff.

Wandering aimlessly, trying everything on offer is part of the point of street food but as many of us have no doubt discovered, results can be hit or miss. And there’s a limit to how many meals even the most dedicated among us can shove down. So, mindful of my Anti-diet eulogies on portion control, here’s my pick of the best Brixton Village eats.

Meat patties

Bukowski’s burger joint which cut its teeth in Shoreditch’s Box Park: The simple, commercial brainwave of filling disused, prime real estate with a pop up of shipping containers.

And Honest Burgers: patties made with 35-day aged Ginger Pig beef and cased in a brioche bun. Of course. There’s even a wheat and gluten free bun option from neighbour WAG Free bakery.

Star attraction: Topped with smoked bacon, mature cheddar and pickled cucumber, The (£8!) Honest Burger steals the show.

Etta’s Seafood Kitchen and ever expanding South London (bloat free) sourdough pizza co. Franco Manca. Ms Cupcake’s vegan Peanut butter & banana muffins are worth a trip south in their own right. There’s definitely room for more peanut butter pudding embracing in the UK. Similarly, while I’m evidently not vegan, the zero animal product clan nails cakes: less sugar, more goo.

Rosie’s Deli Café, social eating hub and testbed for rave review recipes of the Spooning with Rosie cookbook.

For the record, our 2 year old companion meant we arrived on the early side; Brixton Village doesn’t wake up before 10.30am at which point, queueing for a table is inevitable. As it turns out, the floor’s clean enough to eat off, should you feel that way inclined.

Other top picks

For Beijing street food try Mama Lan. Plates for a fiver, tried and tested by mama in her supper club and blog.

Kaosarn Thai restaurant which gets Jay Rayner’s seal of approval.

Jerk chicken shop, Take Two Grill, where dishes are still cooked over coals in a kettle drum as opposed to the oven.

LAB G (Laboratoria Artigianale del Buon Gelato. And breathe!). Where I get my post Portofino gelato fix.

When, where & how

Mon-Weds: 10am to 6pm. Thurs-Sat: 10am to 10pm. Sun: 12pm to 5pm
Atlantic Road, Brixton, London SW9.
Closest tube: Brixton.

As with any street market, most places don’t accept cards so be sure to take cash. Food’s so cheap, though, a tenner should just about do it. What you save on lunch, you can put towards re-touching the paint on your car.

Edinburgh Eating: The Lowdown

Published on July 5, 2013 | Posted by Clare Garcia

Posted in: Featured, Reviews

I’m a big Edinburgh fan. Growing up in the Highlands with a large chunk of our relatives effectively defecting to the Lowlands, week-end trips south were a formative part of my childhood. Edinburgh’s not only one of the most beautiful cities architecturally, it’s also hugely inspirational from a food perspective. Independent restaurant concepts have long been embraced here and as a result, you’d be hard pushed to get through my pick of the best fuel stops in two days:

Timberyard’s Armani does Ski lodge style compelled me to congratulate the affable and obliging staff within approximately 3 seconds of entering the building.

Provenance and the Slow Food philosophy are king so expect Scottish ales and local ingredients; some from Ben (In House Forager); some from the back garden.

Urban Angels

Urban Angel’s chain of Wholesomely Seductive cafés are my breakfast, supper or train journey packed lunch staple.

Top picks: Smoked haddock, poached egg, hollandaise & tattie scone. Cooked to such creamy perfection I’ve since questioned why more cafes don’t feature as an alternative to the ubiquitous Eggs Benedict / Florentine clan…

The Goat’s cheese, caramelized onion quiche skimps not on the good stuff: Abundantly cheesy with sweet onion and a deliciously substantial pastry base. Lightened by the addition of fresh tang and crunch from Pineapple, fennel & sultana slaw. Not to be missed: Almond & honey Florentine. Trust me.

Ship on the shore

The Ship on the Shore in Leith (seaside Edinburgh) manages to impress not just Little Miss Fussy, but Hippy Mum and even the more traditional, OBE decorated, Edinburgh Great Uncle. Fish and shellfish at its best. With wild garlic, haggis mash, in a pint or just about any way you like it. This is a must tick when visiting Edinburgh. #intelligentcooking

While Starbucks is inevitably prevalent, it’s far outweighed by the long established and increasingly popular coffee shops who’s look is anything but that of a cookie cut corporate. And their coffee strong and smooth enough to cause a discerning Antipodean barista to weep.

Brew Lab

A stone’s throw from the university, Brew Lab leads the way, even securing colleague Paul’s much coveted high praise. Paul’s title reads: Gather & Gather Coffee Guru. And he’s Australian, of course. Following in the trend for ‘We’d Serve You From A Urinal If EHO Allowed It Styling’, Brew Lab’s exposed brick makes Havana’s perilously pinned together buildings look positively pristine.

The fresh mint tea (with egg timer) resulted in much jubilation from a non-coffee drinking colleague and the ridiculously tasty and rich Almond & cherry cake inspired me to covet my personalised Spanish version no longer. Next week I’ll bring you Orange, almond & chocolate cake: Uber moist; sophisticatedly sweet and tangy; distinctively almondy. A cake for grown ups.

Other Edinburgh hot spots: The Gardener’s Cottage, The Dogs, Peter’s Yard.

Travel pick: Fort Cochin, part 2

Published on May 31, 2013 | Posted by Clare Garcia

Posted in: Travel

Part 2 of post, Travel Pick: Fort Cochin, Kerala, here are some ways to pass your time in and around one of my favourite holiday picks in the world, when not lolling by the pool.

WHAT TO DO

Fish markets & Chinese fishing nets

Highlight: Fort Cochin’s fish market where ancient Chinese fishing nets are still in use. Go around 7.30am to witness fishy bartering in full swing.

How: The town is built around the nets and market so you’d be hard pushed to get lost. Head for the sea.

Jew Town:

Highlight: Antiques, pashminas, once tried, forever essential oils; jewellery, spice markets and a toe dip into real life India.

How: A 15 minute rickshaw fairground ride from the town centre or Chinese fishing nets.

WHERE TO EAT

The Teapot

Highlight: A banana pancake and masala chai must do for every Fort Kochi visitor.

How: A two minute walk Fort Cochin’s tiny tourist town centre.

Shantilal

Highlight: Demolished food. Because Gujarati’s are the master sweet-makers. And samosa chefs, it would seem.

How: Tell the rickshaw driver to drop you at Shantilal opposite the Guajarati school. My friend Vineetha takes me and I’m yet to spot another westerner or tourist. It’s completely safe, don’t worry!

Kashi Art Café

Highlight: Another uber stylish hot spot serving dishes with a western twist by the Old Harbour Hotel team. Breakfast is a must. My favourites: Try the seafood roti wrap and coconut iced coffee. Kerala means Land of Coconuts, after all.

How: A two minute walk from the town centre or fishing nets. Just about everything is a two minute walk. Ideal for an unwind holiday in my opinion.

The Seagull

Highlight 1 : A down to earth café on the water. Read: respite from often stifling humidity.

Highlight 2: THE BEST Fish Moile and paratha (pancake like bread).

Highlight 3: Gin & Tonic. Raj sized measures (big).

Highlight 4: The Seagull is where just about every well-heeled local eats and gets the thumbs up from my fussy Indian family so not to be missed.

How: Less than a five minute rickshaw ride from Fort Cochin’s town centre.

Old Harbour Hotel

Highlight: Breakfast and lunch chef, Rahim’s cooking. Thanks to him I’ve consumed almost every Indian breakfast ever concocted and now know how to make my favourite dish, Green mango curry.

How: Stroll in, kaftan clad from your room. Or dine by the pool in your bikini. That would be my advice. Take it or leave it.

KERALA & AROUND

The Backwaters

Highlight: It would be a sin to visit Kerala without spending time on The Backwaters. One or two nights on a houseboat with skipper, cook + an/other on hand to guide and feed you through sleepy waterside villages could well be the most relaxing and fascinating experience of your life.

The houseboat tick box has become a bit of a factory procession tourist trail. Somehow it still manages to be worth the effort. I guess it’s not hard to see why when you look at the pictures.

How: The boats leave from Alleppey, about 1 ½ hrs away from Fort Cochin by taxi (£15 fare approx.). Book your trip in Fort Cochin with the countless travel agents, or through your hotel. Expect to pay a premium if doing the latter.

Munnar

Highlight: Tea plantations, cool air, home cooked meals, 1950’s flower gardens and butlers.

How: You can do a day tour, leaving very early from Fort Cochin or spend a night. Unless you’re going hiking, you probably won’t need much more than a day. The town isn’t up to much and once you’ve seen one tea factory, you’ve probably seen them all.

Cherai & Madurai

Highlight: Both have beaches and some very stylish boutique hotels popping up, so my sources tell me. I’m incapable of leaving Old Harbour Hotel, remember?

How: Two – four nights should be good unwind time, depending on the length of your stay. The hotel would be the decider for me.

Goa

Parts of Goa are described by The Lonely Planet as India’s answer to Blackpool. I went under duress. Ten minutes inland by scooter, however, and you’ll find an entirely different (non-beer drinking for breakfast) crowd. Exceptional restaurants and yoga; Portuguese colonial architecture; and a multi-cultural night market to inspire London’s finest street traders.

It’s worth noting that Goa was a Portuguese protectorate until 1961 and as such, its cuisine and customs are quite different to the rest of India. Think tangy tamarind and Indian shoulders on display.

How: Domestic flights are excellent and frequent between Cochin and Goa. Book planes and trains through Cleartrip a wonderfully efficient service. You can even cancel and get a refund. Lakshmi (Goddess of wealth) bless India.

Mumbai

Highlight: Stay in Colaba for Raj style hotel luxury with Victoriana. You’ll be spoilt for choice with galleries, street life and Bombay cafes on your doorstep. Try the Mumbai branch of Trishna, London’s Indian fish restaurant with style. You’ll find the original somewhat different in terms of design – old style London tube upholstery features – but the food is outstanding. The Colaba night market is well worth a visit; a drive thru diner for rich Mumbaikers.

How: Most flights stop over in Bollywood capital Bombay or the Middle East. If taking the former, it’s worth spending one or two nights on the way there or back.

This post is part 2 of Travel Pick: Fort Cochin, Kerala Click on the link for more India tips.