THE HAGUE BEACH HOUSES

When I was a kid we always went to Ouddorp in The Netherlands to go camping apart from our annual trip to Cornwall. Those were the best holidays because we were out in nature, went to the beach whenever the sun was out and had a lot of friends to play with. The beaches in The Netherlands are beautiful; the only thing we don’t have is a Summer full of sun like in the Mediterranean. This week it sort of felt like I went back to that time as a kid. Walking through the beautiful dunes to a long and wide beach excited to spend some days there. And the best thing is: I could actually stay directly on the beach in the The Hague Beach Houses and the weather was the best!

Since this year you can actually stay direct on the beach of Kijkduin (close to The Hague) in one of the twenty Beach Houses. They are available to rent from April until October. ‘They look quite small from the outside’, is what people say when they pass by, but apart from the fact that this is a holiday house and I’m a big lover of tiny houses, you can sleep here with 4 people. You have two rooms, one with a cozy double bed, the other with a bunk bed. There’s a bathroom with a shower and a toilet. There’s a kitchen, a living room with a long dining table and a couch you can actually turn into a lounge bed or take all the pillows outside to create a lounge bed on your porch. And that’s the space you will be most often: to enjoy the beautiful view of the beach, the sea and the impressive skies during sunset and sunrise.

I would recommend it for couples (there are a lot of candles in the house you can lit on your porch for an extra romantic effect), couples with small children, mothers and daughters, friends. When I was there there was no wind at all, but this seemed to be a perfect place for kite-surfers as well. There’s a beach bar on the end of the strip with the Beach Houses if you don’t like to cook. And apparently Kijkduin is Pokemon Go Capital of The Netherlands, so don’t be shocked when you see some kids (and some adults as well) looking at their phone running from one place to another to catch one. If the weather isn’t so sunny, you can visit The Hague to have dinner at Mama Kelly and go shopping at The Fine Store. Enjoy!

Read More

CHAMPEAUX PARIS

The area of Les Halles in the heart of Paris was under renovation for the last couple of years. What started as a happening (food)market in the 12th century ended up in an area where you didn’t go if you want to discover great spots (as Les Halles was filled with high street shops you could find anywhere in the world), but since this year it’s definitely a place to go with arrivals such as a huge flagshipstore of Muji, independent concept store Sept Cinqand the recently opened Champeaux.

Under La Canopée, a huge structure designed by Patrick Berger and Jacques Anziutti which contains 18.000 (!) glass shells, Alain Ducasse opened Champeaux this Summer. The well-known Michelin-starred chef and entrepreneur created a modern style bistro that fits the 21st century and opens its doors for everyone who want to try the delicious soufflés chef Bruno Brangea makes. From the lobster soufflé to the chocolate soufflé made of chocolate from La Manufacture, Ducasse’s own chocolate factory. Although you’re also welcome for a coffee or a cocktail. The mixologist, Marjolaine Alpin, comes from Canada and makes signature cocktails from flowers, fruit and vegetables. Definitely worth trying!

The interior is done by Ciguë, Parisian architects who also did the Aesop store in Le Marais among others. Maybe you remember the fall installation in that shop? When the whole store was filled with autumn leaves? It was stunning. Champeaux is a bistro of the 21st century and something totally different than you would expect of a bistro by a Michelin-starred chef. No white table cloths, but tables made of terrazzo that are meant to be seen. You will see a lot of steel, concrete and mirrors. An industrial feeling almost, but the colors (orange and green) and the leather seats bring some warmness to the place. I personally love the departures/arrivals board with the menu on it and the light beams above the restaurant and bar.

Read More

PANAMA BERLIN

Almost every spot in Berlin is a bit hidden, especially if you’re visiting more areas than just Mitte. Hot spot Panama for example is located on Potsdamer Strasse in a hidden courtyard. Not something you would find very easily, but, in my opinion, usually the hard to find addresses are the best ones because it feels like you really discovered something unique.

Panama is a restaurant project by the Contemporary Food Lab of Ludwig Cramer-Klett, which also is behind Katz Orange. The restaurant consists of two floors with two different atmospheres – both inspired on South America (hence the name). On the ground floor there’s a bar where you can order the best cocktails in town. Try the Beijing Smash for example with juniper, ginger, lemongrass, almond, apple and lychee. Really good!

In the kitchen we’ll find a female chef called Sophia Rudolph, a well-known name in Berlin because she worked for Michelin-starred restaurant Rutz for quite some time. The menu, which changes frequently, is quite interesting. You can choose out of little things (like the crispy pig ear & oyster cream), raw dishes (like the tartare of Richard’s venison, pickled shiitake, currant and nigella), leaves and flower dishes (like the warm spinach salad), meat & fish dishes (like the duroc pork cheek, white radish, sour rhubarb and quinoa) and finally the desserts (like smoked bell pepper, flamed marshmallow and cafe caramel). Definitely worth trying, but make sure to make a reservation!

The interior is beautiful, warm and cool. The color palette (naturel with hints of yellow and pink and a lot of green of the plants) makes you feel you’re in a warm country like Panama. The ground floor feels more intimate with the thick red curtain, the beautiful photo print on the wall and the lovely chairs. Upstairs it feels more airy with the white walls, a stunning contemporary chandelier by Björn Dahlem in the middle of the restaurant, a neon sign on the wall by Kerim Seiler and Thonet chairs. Responsible for the interior are architects Karoline Butzert and Nora Witzigmann (the daughter of one of Germany’s most famous chefs, Eckert Witzigmann). Next month they are gonna open a new bar in front of the restaurant. So keep an eye on that one too!

Read More

ESPAI JOLIU BARCELONA

In case you’re wondering which spot is on the cover of The brand new Barcelona Guide(#002), here’s your answer: it’s Espai Joliu. To visit this beautiful place you have to go to Poblenou, the most creative part of the city. The area where you will find graphic designers, architects and coffee makers working side to side (definitely worth visiting during 48h Open House Barcelona at the end of the month). Espai Joliu is a plant shop, although you can also buy ceramics, independent magazines and plant hangers there. And in the back there’s a lovely cafe. Definitely go there for coffee or the toasted bread with avocado on top. They also have delicious (gluten-free) cakes. Enjoy!

Read More

GRETAS STOCKHOLM

Honestly I was quite shocked seeing that department store P.U.B. wasn’t there anymore. Every time when I was in Stockholm I spend some time there discovering new Swedish brands. The building, with a super central location on Hotorget Square, was bought by the owner of the Scandic Hotel Group and they transformed it into a brand new hotel called Haymarket by Scandic. A good choice for a shopping trip because you’re close to every cool shop in town, but if you want to stay in a more unique hotel I would go for the Miss Clara Hotel, not far away either. Why do I love to give you this recommendation then? Because of their cafe called Gretas. The perfect pick for lovers of the color pink and for a lovely and healthy breakfast. Because ‘breakfast all day’ is part of their concept – the other part is bringing a 1920’s atmosphere to the space. When I was in Stockholm I went here twice. Once to have the yoghurt for breakfast, the other time the avocado on toast. Not really big dishes, but they were really good. And if the weather is out and you can sit on the terrace you will be sure to enjoy the best people-watching opportunities in Stockholm!

Read More

SANTA CLARA 1728 LISBON

You may remember my stays at Casas na Areia and Cabanas no Rio in Comporta of a few years ago. The owners of those beautiful holiday homes, Joao and Andrea Rodrigues, live in Lisbon and after opening Casa no Tempo they found a former 18th century palace at the famous Feira da Ladra (Lisbon’s Flea Market) site. Together with architect Manuel Aires Mateus, who’s a friend of the couple and worked on the other places as well, they transformed the gracious building completely. Santa Clara 1728 is now a small hotel with only 6 spacious suites, there’s a dining room downstairs where they will host delicious dinners and the owners decided to call it their home too and live with their children on the two top floors.

One of the most important things at all of their ‘homes’ is the respect they feel for nature. Not only in building and designing the sites, but most importantly in the experience you will have when staying there. All of your senses will be addressed. Imagine for example when you stay at Casas na Areia where the floor is made of sand. It does something to your mood, almost meditation-like you start to slow down. You start to whisper and your feet like the feeling of the cold sand after a warm day at the beach. The transformed fishermen’s huts let you experience the surroundings in an intense way – everywhere you look you will see nature. You experience the tides, see the birds. And the smell of the wood of the fishermen’s huts is really nice and something you remember, years after you stayed there.

Of course it’s harder to get the nature inside a beautiful building in the heart of a city, but they managed to do so. There’s a busy flea market going on on Tuesday and Saturday in front of the hotel, but when you enter, you will arrive in a place of silence. You feel respect for the old building where you will still see the old details like the staircase. In the dining room with a long communal dining table made of heavy wood you will start a conversation with the other guests, the owners or the chef. If not, you can read the beautiful coffee table books or independent magazines or stare at the impressive art work. The rooms have a wooden floor with heating in it, a bliss. The bathroom is made out of Lisbon marble just like the bath tub. There are candles in the bath room, the towels thick and soft and the bath room amenities smell good and make your hair foamy when you wash it. There are two comfy sofas in your room and when you look out your windows you’ll see the river Tagus and the National Pantheon. A beautiful view – specially during sunset when the sky turns pink.

The breakfast is served in the dining room on the ground floor and they make what you like including fresh orange juice, fresh fruit, granola with yogurt, eggs on toast with avocado: most of the ingredients come from their farm at Casa no Tempo. The hotel is only open for a few weeks now, but in the future they like to work together with chefs (like Seppe Nobels of Graanmarkt 13 in Antwerp) to host special dinners. Stay tuned…

Read More

KANARIECLUB AMSTERDAM

The owners of Kanarieclub are also behind the Food Hallen and were behind Meat West and Remise 47. Because the area around De Hallen, a popular destination for food-, shop-, denim- and cinemalovers, became so popular with similar restaurants, they decided to close Meat West and Remise 47 to create a new restaurant concept. They worked together with Studio Modijefsky for the interior which reflects some of the professions executed in this space when it was still a tram remise. The striking green working space was once the area where the painters worked and a above the tables on the other side of the restaurants they worked on electricity.

The space is huge and more attractive than during the time of the two different restaurants – especially when you walk from the indoor food market to the restaurant. There’s a bar (with a cool design detail with the tram signages in the arches telling you for example ’19 beers on tap’), restaurant, working space for freelancers and a bar upstairs which is called The Pool (the second The Pool in Amsterdam, as The Student Hotel also uses this name for their restaurant). The most popular dishes to order during lunch time are the Eggs Royale, Spicy Beef Salad and the Burger, while the evening menu is more upscale and divided into a 3-, 4- and 5-course menu. If you want you can also order a la carte and you’ll love the Candied Peel, Ceviche and Octopus with Chorizo.

Read More

MY WEEK IN BANGKOK

The last destination of my Super city Trip by Cathay Pacific has gone to an end. I’m writing this in ThePier, the Business Class lounge of Cathay Pacific in Hong Kong and I’m ready to fly back home in an hour. it was my first time in Bangkok and it amazed me a lot. I had a lot of presumptions about the city as travellers told me they either loved or hate it. As I have quite some followers in Bangkok who always shared their favorite cafes with me (thank you!) and they all looked so lovely I had to put the destination on my wish list. The city is huge, so it takes a while to discover the several parts of the city. Of course you have to see the old part of town, the part where all the temples, Wat in Thai, are located. I personally wasvery impressed by Wat Pho because of the huge golden Reclining Buddha. Take a boat from The Pier to reach it via the water. Hotspot-wise you have to be in Thong Lo where I stayed at the new Volve Hotel, a small hotel with only 27 rooms. Discover the area by taxi or motorbike and you’ll find the most amazing spots. I will share some of them here on Petite Passport soon, so you know where to go!

For now: this is what caught my eye during this week in Bangkok (and now I have to run in order to catch my flight!):

Read More

5 SPOTS NOT TO MISS IN HONG KONG

Planning a trip to Hong Kong soon? Lucky you!

Add these 5 spots to your list and you will be sure to have a great time!

Yardbird

Not only my favorite, but even the best Michelin-starred chefs in the world go to this casual chicken skewers restaurant. Trust me: order the meatballs and you won’t be disappointed. But: do arrive in time. The place is packed 30 minutes after they open.

Tuve

A new minimalistic hotel close to Causeway Bay. The shower is unique: it can fit more than 10 (!) people!

PMQ

A former police office in Sheung Wan which is now the hottest place to go. There are restaurants (Aberdeen Street Social) but the main reason to go there are all the independent shops. Kapok being one of them. Take some time to discover because it’s huge!

PTT Head

Take the subway to Sai Ying Pun, one stop after Sheung Wan (direction Kennedy Town) and go to Potato Head. This is the latest restaurant of the hospitality group that also runs the popular beach club in Bali, but this time they worked with Sou Fujimoto for the interior. Imagine! On the menu you’ll find Indonesian food to share.

Mercato

In Shanghai Mercato is already a big success and now Jean-Georges Vongerichten opened one in Hong Kong too. The interior is done by Chinese design duo Neri & Hu and is all about red bricks. You will love it – but most importantly: order their ricotta with strawberry and bread. You won’t get enough of it!

Read More