travel and leisure - Stevie Jewel

06.08.17

Short and Sweet

I discovered Short and Sweet Bakeshop on instagram because of their highly photographed treats, so naturally while I was in Toronto last weekend, I hunted the location down to sample some sweets for myself.

First off, the little shop on Yonge is adorable, and secondly the staff was super friendly. The treats in the display case looked good, but I was there for the mammoth milkshakes I had been insta-dreaming of since our first digital encounter. I initially ordered the “hot wet canadian summer” milkshake and the “Dr. Strange” ice cream sandwich, and what I think is called a “monster bar”.

Somehow my order got mixed up and I ended up with the milkshake and the bar, but it turned out for the best because that in itself was enough sugar for an entire weekend. I did witness the “Dr. Strange” make an appearance, and I kid you not, it was the size of my face, so I didn’t feel bad about the mix up given the gargantuan size of that ice cream sandwich and that I would have been responsible for eating it.

The milkshake is like a liquid smores; absolutely delicious, and the monster bar is a combination of over 10 different cookies, so for a cookie lover it was heavenly. All in all, I can’t wait to go back for another round of sweet treats!

04.27.17

Brown Thomas and Dublin Castle

After spending time in Belfast I was almost sad to leave because I found it so charming, but Dublin did not disappoint! It had a lively music scene in the pubs at night and a lot of history throughout the city, I’ll be talking about that aspect in a later post, but there were two things in Dublin that I found made for a nice contrasting afternoon.

First we explored Dublin Castle in the heart of the city. Full of so much history, from the time that Dublin was invaded by England, up to it’s present day existence. The entire building was very imposing and the fact that it’s now sandwiched in the middle of everything else in thriving downtown Dublin makes me a perfect stop to soak in some history.

In the afternoon we found ourselves in Brown Thomas, a luxurious department store with it’s main entrance on Grafton Street, having high tea. The experience was decadent, especially when coupled with a visit to Dublin Castle. We were surrounded by locals, which elevated the experience for me, and felt as though we’d stumbled into a locals spot. The fare was light and refreshing with beautiful design touches throughout the experience. Also, it was a champagne high tea…what could possibly be more fun?!

04.13.17

La Maree in Monaco

This spot was so wonderful that I had to dedicate a post to it. La Maree was a phenomenal seafood restaurant overlooking the Monaco yacht harbor. It was our last night in Monaco so it was the perfect experience to be able to take in some of the scenic beauty that this small but extraordinary country offers. We had several small dishes and each one was delectable, but I have to say I was a major fan of the dessert. Although it took extra time to prepare it gave us more time to take in the ambience and when it finally did arrive, it was well worth the wait.

04.04.17

Guide to 14 hours in Paris

Paris

I love Paris. It’s such a beautiful city with so much history. On this trip Paris was a stop over between Dublin and Monaco but we packed as much into 14 hours as we possibly could, so I’m going to share our itinerary so you can get the most out of Paris as well.

We stayed within walking distance of the Arc de Triomphe and the Eiffel tower so that we could see both fairly easily and walk around the areas that we enjoy the most, including strolling on the Champs-Elysees.

It’s not right to go to Paris and not try as many of their pastries as possible. Everything we had was unbelievably delicious especially the Drop from a La Petite Marquis.

We also explored the area around the Louvre, which was a haven for all the french designers; well known and obscure. We’ve visited the Louvre before which is why we didn’t go this time, and I would suggest choosing specific pieces you want to see before going because you really could spend multiple days inside the Louvre taking in all the artwork. If you have a passion for fashion you can stroll the entirety of Rue Saint Honore and indulge in the finest haute couture houses known to man.

We went on a riverboat cruise down the Siene and while we’ve done the bus tours before this river cruise was a real treat. Tons of information, seeing the whole city by water, and getting a new perspective on the famous and infamous locations around Paris, such as Notre Dame.

We went to one of our favorite spots for dinner the roundabout adjacent to the Eiffel tower across the river. There are several great restaurants in this vicinity and Cafe Le Malakoff is one of the best for people watching, enjoying the view, and sampling excellent french cuisine.

The next morning we boarded the train for Monaco and waved Paris farewell for now!

03.30.17

Vintage Tea in Dublin

I’m such a fan of tea. Also of high tea. And double decker buses. So Vintage Tea Tours was an absolute dream! It’s fairly new, so I’m so glad that my mum stumbled across it when she was exploring Dublin! As soon as you walk down the cobblestone street it feels as though you’re on your way to experience a cross between the Knight Bus of Harry Potter and a Tea Party with the mad hatter and Alice. Once seated on the second level we were greeted with a tray of treats and an offering of tea flavors. I chose the rosé champagne tea which was light and fruity. The array of edible offerings ranged from a sour green apple cupcake to cucumber and cream cheese finger sandwiches. Then we were off and touring around Dublin viewing all the best that it has to offer from Phoenix Park to the Spire in the heart of the city, passing Trinity College and Temple Bar along the way! All in all the experience was truly a delight. Our host was knowledgable, friendly, and attentive, the bus was well restored and well appointed for a tea tour, and the food was fun and whimsical.

03.25.17

Exploring Northern Ireland

I love old castles and there is no shortage in the United Kingdom and Ireland! This castle, Carrickfergus Castle, was a fortress on the edge of Belfast. It’s right off the main road now and a whole portion of the city has grown up around it. It was one of the first structures in that area and it’s wonderful that they preserved it even with the modern world growing up around it. One of the best tips I could give anyone traveling to Ireland during March is to pack lots of light layers, because the weather is erratic but the landscape is beautiful! A light rain jacket and a light down jacket are a great option for layering. I chose one from Uniqlo, which I’m linking here because it’s the ideal travel jacket and it happens to be on sale right now!

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