Aga, Author at Aspiring Snob

Hidden Gems at Hotel Stays

Experiences, Lifestyle, Perks, Rituals, Tips Aga

To get the ultimate value out of hotel stays, all you need is to keep your eyes open for what amenities are on offer and just go for them! I’ve had many exquisite experiences throughout my hotel stay career, but I want to mention the top of the top here. My most exceptional four experiences I found completely by chance. Every single one was a nice reminder of the abundance of opportunities around you if you are keen to try. These experiences totally made my day and I felt that I was really taking advantage of what was on offer but many people miss out on.

The first experience is the value of a valet car park (which I covered in my other article), another was a sensational swimming pool at the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, the third was a phenomenal yoga session at the Mandarin Oriental The Landmark in Hong Kong and finally I had an epic Sense Spa experience at The Rosewood in London.

Afternoon Tea Unlimited

Alcohol, Experiences, Food & Drink, Lifestyle, Rituals, Tea Aga

There is only one prerequisite you need in order to go for afternoon tea in the Rosebery Lounge at the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park: be ravenous. And I don’t mean be just a bit peckish thinking you’ll have a cup of tea, a dry sandwich and a piece of cake. I mean this is my only meal of the day hungry. Trust me on this one, now let’s find out why…

The Art of Delegating

Lifestyle, Tips Aga

If I could give a few tips to my younger self, the list would start with these:

Drink more water
Go for a facial and a massage once a month
Hire people to help out with your daily routine

The first two are, I think, fairly self-explanatory! However I want to elaborate on the third point…

I used to think that it’s more beneficial if I clean my own house, cook my own food, work in my garden and organise trips myself. In this way I can control how things are done and can ensure they are done exactly how I want it. If you have stable income such as through a full-time job, it is a great way to save some money. However the situation is drastically different if you have a side business, or you are a full-time entrepreneur working on your own thing where your time is, quite literally, money.

Following the Oyster Trail

Deals, Experiences, Fine Dining, Food & Drink Aga

Discomfort Zone on a Plate

For years, oysters to me were in too much of a discomfort zone for my palate to actually try them with an open mind. It was not only their slimy appearance but also the largely misunderstood way of eating them. I believed that you were supposed to slurp them down without chewing. I used to think, “What was the point?” I like my taste buds to enjoy the intricacies of my food, of the memories that taste evokes. I love learning about new flavours and experiencing new combinations of heat, acid, salt and fat. Slurping without chewing oysters offered none of that. To me, it was just a strange experience with a weird texture sliding down my throat. No, thank you!

And it’s not like I hadn’t given oysters a chance before. I had ordered them, or had them part of a tasting menu in decent restaurants around the world. What turned out to be red flags was that these restaurants only ever had one kind of oyster, and far from specialised in them.

10 Steps On How To Maximise Your Holiday Time

Deals, Experiences, Food & Drink, Travel Aga

Remember when you were a lot younger and you seemed to have all the time in the world, but no money? Perhaps as a kid, a teenager or a university student. Back then when you took a holiday it was most likely a long one, for at least a few weeks, and it always seemed to recharge your batteries and leave you feeling fully rested.

That was then. These days, our careers and lives are moving at the speed of light, full of opportunities that we can’t miss. Items on our to-do or bucket lists just seem to always back up and the latter rarely get ticked off. We all know the importance of good work/life balance and the importance of good mental well-being. No-one wants to burn-out due to overwork or over-stress.

Travel on Your Plate

Experiences, Food & Drink, Home, Invites/Access, Travel Aga

Tip: When travelling, try to attend cooking classes in the places you visit. This will make you experience the local culture much closer and what you learn is yours forever.

Food is in the heart of every culture, it’s part of our identity, it’s a way of living and of interacting with another human being. Cooking is an act of sharing with family, friends, or a stranger. It becomes the crucial element of hospitality and of feeling welcome. It nourishes both your body and soul.