Squirreling about - far far away

Corsica is an island located between France and Italy. I really did not have any expectations going there but I really fell in love with the place. The nature here is very dramatic, mountains with small villages clinging on to the sides, short and dense vegetation and then the beautiful blue sea.

We were only staying at one place for the whole week, the small costal town of Ile Rousse. I’ve heard that travelling around the island by car is very beautiful and that is something I would really like to do in the future. The little town of Ile Rousse is however very picturesque and offers small restaurants, a lovely market and a very nice sand beach.

This week was all about eating and relaxing! I highly recommend freshly roasted coffee from Le Bon Café at Place Delanney. We also really enjoyed the local chestnut beer Pietra. Every morning there was also a small market where you can get fruit, meat and wonderful local cheeses. I especially enjoyed the goat cheese! Don’t forget to have ice cream, which really is essential for any summer trip. There was a huge selection of ice cream places in the little town but my absolute favourite one must be Le Café des Platanes, which also was a ideal place for people watching. And don't forget to bring home some locally grown olive oil. It is just fantastic! 

Squirreling about - far far away

The art of travelling

One of my absolute favourite things in the world is travelling. I need it regularly or I go mad. It is my drug of choice. I think I have always had the urge for revelling and already as a child I remember ordering catalogues from different travel agencies and flip through the pages and dream away.  Being an adult and being responsible for your own time and money made planning and going on adventures much easier. 

It is a sort of collecting for me. Collecting memories and places to think about when everything is painfully ordinary and the rain in falling outside the office window. Thinking of that small café in Berlin with the best frühstück, preferably eaten in front of a cosy fire burning.  Or the peaceful pagoda outside Hanoi  where you could sit and just watch the beautiful scenery from a staircase cut out from the rock under a fragrant Frangipani  tree.  

The collector in me always bring home little souvenirs that also work the magic of remembering and cherish these moments.  These little treasures almost always have in common that they are small enough to enable being transported back home.  And when used, looked at or eaten they bring back the different memories and feelings. A little bit of joy when opening the kitchen cabinet being greeted by a little dotted espresso cup found at the 1 Euro table in a store in Milan. 

A big part of the travelling for me is the actual planning. Exploring the place you are going to visit in advance, sort of looking through a pair of binoculars, seeing from a distance trying to imagine what it feels like to actually be there.  This also brings me great satisfaction and looking forward to an adventure gives me lots of energy. I read books and blogs, look at maps and spend hours looking for the best hotel in the perfect area.

  

Don’t forget comfortable shoes, a camera and an open mind and start a new adventure that will never leave you!

Acorn

Oh, the joy!

Acorn

It is very quiet from us right now. Sorry about that, but there has been a lot of work lately. Here are two photos form a dinner. At least we found some time to eat...

Squirreling about - far far away

Happy Easter!
Some pics from a trip to the lovely island Åland the other day. Lovely walks and delicious food.  It is still cold and spring feels far away but at least the lovely pale spring light is here. Enjoy!

Squirreling about - Chiang Mai

If you ever feel the urge to go for a little trip when in Chiang Mai, I would definitely recommend a visit to the lovely Sala Café outside Mae Rim (about 15 km from Chiang Mai). This is a true oasis for just relaxing and enjoying the amazing mountain views while eating good food and divine dessert in the lovely garden!

Squirreling about - Stockholm

Mood Stockholm is one of the newest shopping malls in Stockholm. I don't really care to much for shopping malls and rather visit independent small shops instead. But I must admit that they have a couple of really good restaurants at Mood Stockholm.

The other day a had a quick lunch at Vigårda , a restaurant serving high quality fast food. I had a veggie burger that was really nice and also reasonable priced. This restaurant seems to be really popular among the local office workers and is really crowded during lunch. Vigårda is a rally nice place to eat at if you happens to be smack in the city centre and just need to get something to eat right away. And just look at that lovely flooring!

Squirreling about - far far away

There is no end to all the great restaurants in Bangkok!
EAT ME restaurant has been around for about 15 years but I have never visited before. I really enjoyed this restaurant and will absolutely come here again! It was really hard to decide what to choose  from the menu, everything sounded delicious and the pasta dish I had was excellent. And for you with a sweet tooth there is also a really good selection of desserts as well. Just look at that flour less chocolate cake!  The interior was also very nice and had that nice felling of Bangkok to it. 

Squirreling about - Chiang Mai

I'm a vegetarian which is hardly a problem in Chiang Mai but sometimes it can be very nice to be able to choose anything from the menu. Fortunately there are a lot of all vegetarian restaurants here as well. Khun Churn  on Nimmanhaemin Soi 17 is a really nice one. During lunch they offer a huge buffé whit a lot to choose from. However I prefer visiting at the evening when it is less crowded and you can order vegetarian Kah Soy noodles!

Squirreling about - Chiang Mai

I like food, or I like good food. In Chiang Mai there is plenty of choices for really good food and a great dining experience. If you care for some Tapas (I do!) I suggest a visit to Jagajee in Nimmanhaemin. This is a small restaurant where you choose and eat your Tapas at the bar and if you care for some Prosecco, (I do!) this is also available! This is a place to get back to and there is no worries about getting tired of the menu because it changes daily and what ever you do just don't forget to try their cashew nut hummus. I'm still dreaming about that one!

Squirreling about - Chiang Mai

If you care for a real food experience in Chainag Mai don't forget to visit the restaurant at Tamarind Village . Walk through the gorgeous bamboo tunnel and just relax at a lovely table just beside the pool. The food here is divine and the service is excellent. If you're not on a tight budget staying at the hotel or visiting the SPA  is also a great idea. If you are just passing by and don't have time for dinner just a quick visit to the lobby and one of the exhibitions they usually have there is also well worth a visit.

Acorn

Cutest rice packaging ever! Organic and healthy.
My Christmas gift, only one this year! Hand made from Linnil Zakka Shop bought at NAP 
A treat for tired feet. Lavender foot cream from heaven!