La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain (Creative Commons)

Who would have thought that there were so many museums on the tiny island of La Palma in the Canary Islands. Below is a quick tour around the 5 museums so that you can make your selection when you visit the various resorts around the island.

Casa del Maestro – Located in Tijarafe, Calle 18 del Julio 11 and opposite the town hall. This museum is open Monday to Friday 08:00 to 15:00 (14:00 in the summer months) and is cultural museum with an exhibition of items such as pots and a kitchen complete with utensils.

Casa Museo del Vino – Located in El Paso, Camino El Callejon 88, above the Plaza la Glorieta. This museum is open Monday to Friday 09:30 to 13:30 and then again from 16:00 to 18:30 and also on Saturdays from 09:30 to 14:00 and is a wine museum showing growing areas, grape varieties, vineyard work and the production process.

Casa Roja – Located in Mazo, Calle Maximiliano Perez Diaz [the village centre] and is open Monday to Friday from 10:00 to 14:00 and then again from 15:00 to 18:00 and on Saturdays from 11:00 to 18:00 and Sundays 10:00 to 14:00. This is known to be the only museum in Spain exhibiting embroideries to do with the Corpus Christi celebrations.

Archaelogical Museum – Located in Los Llanos de Aridane, Calle de las Adelfas and open Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00 to 14:00 and again from 17:00 to 20:00. This modern museum displays by use of audio-visual equipment and exhibits, the habitat, religious beliefs, industries and other subject matters on the island going back to the benahoaritas [the first inhabitants of the La Palma].

Museo del Plantano – Located in Tazacorte, Camino San Antonio [the historical quarter below the church] and is open Monday to Friday from 10:00 to 13:00 and then again from 16:00 to 19:00. This banana museum shows the history and banana growing on the island and demonstrates the benefits to the island.

So, for somewhere to escape the sun or to learn something about the history of this pretty island, a visit to a museum will undoubtedly be a good choice.

Find out more about taking a break in La Palma at this website. Alternatively, visit the official tourism website for La Palma at http://www.turismodecanarias.com/canary-islands-spain/tourism-office/la-palma-island/ for more information about the island.

If you’re a fiend for French breads and fantastic baked goods then no doubt your mouth will water at the thought of finding the best baguette in the whole of Paris. Luckily, hunting for such a treasure isn’t as hard as it might seem, thanks to the “Grand Prix de la Baguette de Tradition Française de la Ville de Paris”. It’s the annual competition for the best baguette in Paris, and it’s done all the hard work for you. A panel of bakers and food celebrities decide each year whose baguette is the big cheese of Parisian patisseries. Just follow the trail of victors to take yourself on a tour of Paris’ best baguettes.

Le Grenier à Pain

One of Montmartre’s most treasured bakeries, on 38 rue des Abbesses sits Le Grenier à Pain, winner of the 2010 prize for best baguette in Paris. Académie Culiniaire member Michel Galloyer presides over this famous patisserie with great passion. This rustic and traditional bakery has a whole array of impressive looking baked goods at surprisingly reasonable prices, including cakes, tarts and a range of breads, but the crown jewel is Michel’s famous award winning baguette, the perfect pain Français.

Au Levain d’Antan

In 2011 and 2012, veteran baker Pascal Barillon won first prize in the Best Baguette in Paris comp for his impeccable baguette de tradition. Just down the road from the 2010 winner at number 6, rue des Abbesses, his bakery Au Levain d’Antan is a sure stop-off for baguette hunters and foodies. Here you’ll find the most tantalising cakes and chocolates on display, as well as melt-in-your mouth croissants and, of course, the best baguettes baked in Paris two years in a row.

Au Paradis du Gourmand

Winner of the presitigous title of Paris’ best baguette is Tunisian baker Ridha Khadher from Au Paradis du Gourmand at 156 rue Raymond Losserand. Ridha takes great pride in hand-making these traditional baked delights and his now famous bread is the pride of Au Paradis du Gourmand’s range of fresh goods.

These winners have all won the honour of baking bread for the French President as part of their grand prize. They have passed the judges scrutinies of their hand-made baguettes, everything from the inside to the outer crust deemed better than any other of their competitors for that year. The winning bread that manages to take the title of best baguette in Paris is nothing short of a perfect pain, guaranteed to impress even the most serious gourmand and cause food-loving travellers to swoon.

So if the thought of Paris’ best baguette is too enticing to pass by, perhaps it’s time to plan a visit to these proven purveyors of perfect bread. To help get you started on this baguette tour of Paris, check out some great travel deals at http://www.travel-associates.com.au.

Written by Emma Jane

Aurora Borealis in Oslo ( creative commons)

Aurora Borealis is definitely an unpredictable diva: she only shows up when she wants and she definitely knows how to keep you waiting. Searching for the Northern lights may be tricky sometimes. Depending on the weather conditions, you may see a light show that will leave you speechless. The best season to admire the Northern lights is between October and March and usually after 17.00 pm until 2 am. The sky must be crystal clear or else the lights won’t bright at their full capacity. You can find more info here.

Don’t forget to pack a camera with you; you don’t want to come back home and have no evidence to show off in front of your friends and family left back home.

Northern Lights (creative commons)

If you’re planning to see the Northern Lights in full size then you should book a cruise in Norway’s waters. Or maybe drive around the  wild roads of Finland. If adrenaline is your middle name then opt for a snowmobile ride in Lapland that guarantees you tons of fun and exciting adventures. This is the type of trip you take your friends with and you end it with a big firework and some muddle wine. If you’re travelling with your children and family why not give them the opportunity to play with some puppies and surf the woods accompanied by a husky sleigh. Nothing beats this type of experience, that’s for sure! Plus, you have the chance to admire the landscape, sit back and relax while the dogs do all the work, stop whenever you want and of course bring a huge smile on your children’s faces. They’ll be delighted to boast to all their friends back home about their husky safari ride!

Another way to catch the Northern Lights and enjoy a wonderful Aurora Borealis experience is to visit the Polarlightcenter in the Lofoten Islands where you’ll get to see presentations, information, courses and exhibitions about this natural light show. Enjoy your Northern Lights moment and let the magic capture your eyes!

Winter scenery ( creative commons)

Most people prefer to spend their holidays doing outdoor winter sports like skiing and snowboarding. Best winter holiday destinations are in the Alps, the Northern countries and the southeast of Europe. Countries like Germany, France, Austria, Finland, Norway, Sweden and Romania have the perfect weather condition for all those seeking to spend some winter adventure holidays. If you fancy a trip to the White Circle, you can rest assured that it will be an unforgettable experience. For more information about the White Circle, click here.

Depending on your travel budget and your desires you can opt for a holiday that satisfies every need that you may have. The best way to choose a tailor made holiday for you is to search for information regarding the type of activities every travel destination has.You can opt for a husky safari in Scandinavia, a snowmobile ride in Finland where you can admire the unique and breathtaking phenomenon of the Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis or go for a skiing holiday in the Alps.Wherever you go you’ll have a great time because winter is the season of excitement! And if you sprinkle some mulled wine then you have the holiday of your dreams!

Skiing in the Alps ( creative commons)

If you travel with your kids you should know that the winter season is great for them to have their first encounter with some winter sports. Children tend to learn faster than grownups and they enjoy this type of activities at a higher level. So, instead of leaving your kids at home you should plan a family adventure holiday that brings you all together and makes your small ones happier than ever. Plus, a little exercise can’t do bad to them and neither to you.

You can opt for extra adventure activities once you have established your accommodation. You’ll find several information at your hotel about husky sleigh rides and extreme sports. Keep in mind to bring clothes with you that will keep you warm. You can still buy or rent proper equipment from the local stores if you don’t own a personal one. Just be ready for an ocean of immaculate snow and fresh air!

As the summer and city heat up, there are loads of musicals and plays showing all over London.  When you can’t see them all, pick a few of the best and spice up your summer with a few of these excellent performances on London’s stages.  From William Shakespeare to Roald Dahl, and passing through the reimagining of L. Frank Baum’s Oz, London’s stages are set to offer an exciting array of world-renowned performances this year.  Read on below for a few of our top picks and must sees this summer in London!

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

If there is one show you see this summer, make it a London world premiere.  Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is directed by Sam Mendes (director of the Bond film Skyfall) with a world premiere in London in June of 2013. Join the famous Charlie Bucket and feast your eyes on a world of sweets and spectacular splendor on stage.

Wicked

Though not a London premiere, the dazzling spectacle that is Wicked at the Apollo Victoria Theatre is a treat for anyone who hasn’t yet seen it, and a great show to see again for those who have.  Wicked is the spellbinding reversal of L. Frank Baum’s original The Wonderful Wizard of Oz using wit and cunning to show another side of story of the witches of Oz.

Othello

What would a summer of London theatre be without one of Shakespeare’s greats?  More than 4 centuries after its first performance, Othello again graces London’s stages, playing that the National Theatre through July, and more performances should be announced this month.

Phantom of the Opera

Capturing the hearts of a new theatre goers every year, Phantom of the Opera is in its 26th year with over 10,000 Broadway performances and is the first musical ever to achieve this status.  This musical should be on any list of amazing shows to see while it takes the audience through the mystery and intrigue, love and heartbreak, of a disfigured musical genius.

War Horse

Having premiered at the Royal National Theatre in London 5 years ago, War Horse is back in London and the UK this summer!  The play is critically acclaimed as “pure animal magic” as an adapted children’s novel that takes you on an unlikely odyssey set at the start of World War I.  You can see War Horse the musical on Drury Lane at the New London Theatre as well as on tour in many locations in the UK and globally.

The Book of Mormon

Transferring to West End after an immensely successful showing on Broadway, The Book of Mormon is the hilarious brainchild of the politically incorrect geniuses behind South Park and Avenue Q.  The Book of Mormon was praised by the New York Times as “The best musical of this century”.  The side-splitting comedic religious satire is playing at the Prince of Wales Theatre throughout the summer season and traces the experience of two Mormon missionaries sent to Uganda who face difficult challenges in connecting with the local populations who are more concerned about challenges of life than in the scripture they bring with.
With only six stunning performances listed here, London’s stages has limitless performance to satisfy any theatre goer’s interests.  Check out these shows and others to fill your summer with spectacular effects, witty and hilarious story-lines, and thoughtful productions making Summer 2013 one you will never forget.

Jo Tumble is a culture critic sharing her theater reviews on various outlets – look out for more of her articles on the best plays every season!

Barcelona at night

When taking a holiday, the world is your oyster and anything is possible. For many travelers, the European continent provides an enticing venue to enjoy. With a diverse range of cultures and climates, Europe has much to offer. In the latest years many casino travellers have found the continent to be worth a visit. In fact, some of the best casinos found anywhere in the world are in Europe. The country of Spain is home to two top casinos which are popular among travelers.

The Casino Barcelona is located within its namesake city. The casino has gained a strong reputation for poker playing; some of the best in Europe. Its status has been further validated by the Barcelona Poker Open which draws poker stars from around the globe. Visitors can expect to find a total of 12 poker tables which are always open. Another casino option in Spain is the Castell De Peralada. This casino is within close proximity to the border between Spain and France. The casino has been built in a medieval Spanish castle which further adds to the gambling experience. The Castell De Peralada offers a mix of casino table games as well as slot machines.

For some travelers who may not have a lot of gambling experience, slot machines are often a nice game to transition one’s self into the casino setting. Slot machines are less intimidating than playing other patrons. They also provide many different themes which can appeal to a broader clientele. Slot machines can come in either three or five reeled machines. The advantage to the five reel machines would be that they offer more paylines on which money can be wagered. These machines also often have free spin bonus rounds as well as other bonus games associated with them. Make sure you’re wagering enough coins to activate these bonuses. Sometimes, if you’re not making the maximum wager, you may not be eligible for this extra play. If you want to try out some of these games before your holiday you can do so a places like online casino Australia where you can find all the traditional games.

French people know how to exploit their talents. And if they’re good at one thing then food is their specialty. Internationally known for their decadent and extravagant dishes, French chefs are constantly inventing and reinventing food that can make you mouth water instantly.

Considered to be one of the most romantic cuisine in the entire world with dishes that delight your aphrodisiac senses, the French gastronomy has some hot spot foods that can’t be left out when travelling to France. If you’re planning to spend some time in France in the near future, look for accommodation especially in the regions that are famous for their cuisine. If you have timeshare ownership obligations, services like Right Choice Transfer can help you get rid of your stress in no time.

You’ll find below the top 5 specialties that will literally melt in your mouth leaving you with some extra pounds of happiness.

Local cheeses

Well, France is indeed famous for its cheese. Some people say there is a kind of cheese for each day of the year; regardless of their opinions, France is a master of cheese and their taste is unique! The variations of cheese flavor and textures are so wide that it will take you a lifetime to get to know all of them! Don’t loose faith, try to taste as much cheese as you can and it’s better to ask the locals for explanations. They can guide you through the world of cheese! Brie has a creamy taste and a subtle nutty flavor, while Camembert, the Normandy’s pride, is made from cow milk and is best served at room temperature because of its creamy texture. Another amazing cheese is Roquefort, world’s finest blue cheese. It’s cultivated with a special fungus and left to mature, which gives it a strong flavor.

French cheese ( creative commons)

Chouquettes

Another famous French dish is chouquettes. This crispy snack is very similar to cream puffs, kind of a light dough, hollow inside with extra sugar encrusted on top. The taste fills your heart with joy and keeps away hunger between meals.

Bouillabaisse

Bouillabaisse is a very common dish in Provence, usually served with a slice of bread or baguette on the side. It is made from a combination of tomatoes, onions and saffron spiced with lots of herbs like thyme and sage that enhance the flavours of seafood and fish. Marseille is actually well known for its divine bouillabaisse.

Boudin Noir

Boudin Noir with Caramelized Apples and Sauerkraut

Boudin Noir is a delicious product of France’s culinary traditions. It’s made from pork fat and pig’s blood. This black sausage is best served with mashed potatoes and a seasoned salad. Boudin Noir is best tested in Normandy and if you really want to get a genuine taste of this fascinating dish then you should make an appearance at the Black Pudding Festival, in Morgane-au-Perch in March.

Apple Tart from Normandy

And of course, can’t skip the dessert. Tarte Normande or apple tart is a specialty in Normandy, made of sweet pastry dough filled with thin slices of apple, cream and almonds. Bon appetite!

Berlin (creative commons)

In a world of anonymous hotel chains and globalised brands it’s often difficult to find a unique and personalised individual experience in the hotel industry. However, once you begin to look you’ll find that there are indeed a few smaller hidden gems which have managed to cling on to their unique personalities and offer a friendly, tailored service to their customers through a heightened sense of culture and style. The best of them provide excellence in all categories of customer care, from innovative hotel interior designs to superior service, facilities and stylistic flair.

The Zetter Hotel, Clerkenwell, London

Just a few minutes from Oxford Street, the Zetter offers modern-vintage suites with designer trimmings and has its own restaurant serving up traditional British cuisine.

Caesar Hotel, Queens Gardens, London

This stylish retreat next to Hyde Park and Marble Arch has a slightly industrial feel of exposed brick and wooden frames, offset with super-cool retro furniture and a renowned cocktail bar with international snacks.

Rough Luxe Hotel, Birkenhead Street, London

Next to busy King’s Cross, the Rough Luxe features regularly changed contemporary artworks on bare walls, with original copper bathtubs in some rooms and a range of handmade toiletries.

The Mandeville Hotel, Mandeville Place, London

Close to fashionable Bond Street, the Mandeville has stylish traditional rooms and an award-winning restaurant serving British-sourced fine produce, along with a cocktail bar that boasts British classics concocted with spirits distilled entirely in the UK.

The Ampersand Hotel, Harrington Road, London

Located in trendy South Kensington in a big Victorian building, the Ampersand has a refreshing, Mediterranean-style restaurant with a cosmopolitan atmosphere. A pillared foyer, grand chandelier and Victorian furnishings in its rooms add a rather gaudy flourish that’s verging on the currently uber-hip steampunk style.

Trafalger Square by UG Ardener (Creative Commons)

The Villa Kennedy, Frankfurt

A leading light in hotel interior designs, Martin Brudnizki has created a warm, comfortable and light atmosphere in the Villa Kennedy, which has its own restaurant, pool and spa and whose rooms ooze clean sophistication enhanced with a careful balance of textures, colours and shades in the décor.

Cosmo Hotel, Berlin

The Cosmo in the museum quarter of Berlin offers high-end design of floor-to-ceiling windows and sophisticated interiors. The comfortable feel belies its darker origins as an old Stasi building, which was revamped by the London-based Silvestrin/Salmaso architects in 2005.

Le Genral Hotel, Paris

Le Genral utilises soft material and pure lines, with warm rosewood tones and halos of light to create a subdued and comforting oasis of serenity right in the city centre. The soft carpeting and transparent furniture heighten the impression of unruffled calm in the midst of outside noise and bustle.

Hotel Odeon Saint-Germain, Paris

Newly renovated and refurbished by Garcia, this enchanting establishment in the magical heart of Saint-Germain des Pres and embedded in a 16^th Century building, has a sheltered courtyard and traditional rooms distinguished by their fine attention to detail.

Hotel Yasmin, Prague

The aggressively contemporary Hotel Yasmin employs silver globes and olive walls to tremendous effect, creating a futuristic look and feel that contrasts startlingly with the old medieval town on its doorstep. The restaurant is a particular treat, a sculptured space decorated with mirrorball lights by Tom Dixon and serving German, Japanese, Korean and Czech cuisine.

Author Bio:

David Bell is a freelance writer and blogs about travel, interior design, online marketing, telecoms and small business solutions. Follow him on Twitter @DavidBellWriter

If you haven’t heard of Laurencin don’t feel bad but she was a contemporary and, in her day, a peer of Picasso and Braque (if you haven’t heard of them you can go right ahead and feel bad) but in 1980 just about all of her best work was bought in a single auction by a Japanese obsessive and whisked away to a purpose-built penitentiary in the northern reaches of Japan.

And now they’re back. Or at any rate a liberal selection of the best examples of Laurencin’s uniquely sapphist take on cubism is on loan to the Marmottan Museum in Paris from now until July 2013 and everyone needs to take this fleeting opportunity to see them apart, of course, from Japanese tourists who should content themselves with having their picture taken next to Déjeuner sur l’Herbe at the Orsay.

The show at the Marmottan is exhaustive — there are some teaser pieces on the ground floor and the basement is a chronological overview of the three stages of Laurencin; quasi-realistic and slightly grotesque portraiture to structured and sexually-charged cubism to billowy and unfocused decline, this last one possibly related to her failing eyesight.

So you’ve got one good reason to finally visit poor, underappreciated Marmottan and that’s to appreciate poor, underappreciated Marie Laurencin but that’s not why you need to go. You need to go to observe the subtle psychological game being played out by the curators.

There are some 99 pieces by Marie Laurencin, mostly portraits and set pieces with horses or dogs or women or horses and dogs and women and, with the exception of some striking cubist likenesses of Picasso and her doubtless eccentric romantic passion poet Guillaume Apollinaire, no men. Which is irrelevant to the point but there are a lot of paintings and the Marmottan is not the Louvre and hence has had to shift about half its permanent collection to the attic or the trunks of their cars or perhaps both, which means that the normally lush collection of Monet’s water lily studies has been reduced to one and the very painting that launched the most revolutionary and enduring movement in modern art history has been hidden, like the purloined letter, in plain sight.

Impression, Sunrise, Monet, 1872–1873

There’s a very categorical corridor separating the original hunting lodge of the Marmottan from its newer, starker and wholly more pretentious section which includes a basement (where Monet’s lilies live when they’re not hidden away to accommodate Marie Laurencin). The corridor usually hosts some incongruous furniture and a mirror which function mainly to help the aged delineate the stairs and elevator and now that Monet’s brilliant Soleil Levant has been moved here too people are just walking right by without giving it a second glance.

I suppose it’s possible that this is accidental or that when I was last at Marmottan every last visitor was a blinkered fanatic for the work of Marie Laurencin and wouldn’t have given the single most important painting at Marmottan a moment’s attention if it had been on fire, but I think the real explanation is that its placement among the embarrassing bequeathments has the amusing psychological effect of subliminally suggesting that Soleil Levant is just a picture of a boat in some unrecognisable harbour around sunrise or, possibly, sunset.

It’s always true that the Marmottan, as one of Paris’ most bafflingly under-visited museums, offers an abundance of quality time with some singular masterpieces, like Caillebotte’s Rainy Day and the above-mentioned water lilies and Soleil Levant. But just now you can have the novelty of being alone with Soleil Levant in a crowd of people who may briefly wonder why you’re staring at some random furniture when there’s all this Laurencin to be had.

Obviously do both. The ignominious dismissal of the progenitor of impressionism is no reason to resent the beautiful and compelling and genuinely revolutionary work of one of the rare female contributors to early modernism. And for a brief slice of time there’s a unique opportunity presented by this rare matrix of events: Marie Laurencin has come home, the Marmottan is so richly endowed that it has to hide its greatest treasures, Soleil Levant has been discarded in a corner and now, you know about it.