Lifestyle Archives - Page 2 of 4

Comfort zone or adventure? Tips for work and pleasure travel

In my mind, there are two main reasons most people travel. Travelling for pleasure and travelling for work.

When you travel for pleasure, you are in a different frame of mind than when you travel for work. You might react completely differently to the same events. For instance, when I have to get up super early in order to set off for a work trip, I am a zombie. However, when I have to get up at the same time to set off for holidays, I am energised, curious and happy. Oddly, I am not tired but am waiting for the upcoming adventure. Unlike for a work trip, I actually relish seeing the sun come up knowing it means my holidays are about to begin.

Get it while it’s hot – Why you should visit recently opened restuarants

Food & Drink, Lifestyle, Tips Tom

There are many great restaurants around the world that have made a name for themselves and are a staple on the foodie scene; The Fat Duck, White Rabbit, Attica and Blue Hill to name just a few. Given their fame and the quality of their experiences, they thankfully won’t be going anywhere in a hurry. However, like with any new business, not all restaurants manage to go the distance.

As around half of all new businesses fail to survive the five year mark, this means that your hot new local food spot may also not be around for the long haul just by following that statistic. In addition for restaurants there’s also considerations about changing trends in foods and cuisines, rising food and staff costs, and the one thing that is absolutely critical for any fledgling restaurant – footfall.

VIP Weekend – by Aspiring Snob

Deals, Experiences, Food & Drink, Invites/Access, Lifestyle Tom

At Aspiring Snob, we have a few fundamental beliefs. They include luxury that is value for money (as opposed to alleged luxury for cheap) and education on some of the finer things in life. Having had the good fortune of experiencing some amazing places, as well as those to avoid, we have put together a programme that combines these two fundamental beliefs that is ideal for the aspiring snob in all of us.

Spas of Europe

Lifestyle, Rituals, Spa Aga

With another summer coming to an end and winter approaching us, my thoughts have started turning to warm and relaxing spas. While I genuinely believe that a good spa is great for any time of year, there’s something extra special about being pampered in comfort and in expert hands during colder days.

As any regular spa user will know, the prices can get quite steep. For me, there’s nothing worse than going to a spa that is competitive on price but fails to deliver any worthwhile experience, sometimes to the point where the massage can leave me with pain.

Value for Luxury – Vila Joya in the Algarve

Experiences, Fine Dining, Food & Drink, Hotels, Lifestyle, Perks, Tips Tom

My journey to discovering the value of luxury was a very personal one, and one that started quite late in my life. Coming from a typical middle class suburban background, I was one of the first in my extended family to attend University. Soon after I found myself in the job market sitting at a desk with a computer collecting a pay cheque each month.

Having disposable income for the first time in my life, I did what any 20-something would do – I spent it. Finally I could buy what I thought were the finer things in life (new clothes, a new computer, a car that didn’t break down all the time) and I could also afford to go out more. Suddenly a night out wasn’t about going to the trashiest place in town because they had a two for one offer, but instead it was going to nicer venues and discovering that alcoholic drinks could be enjoyed and appreciated, not just consumed.

Less is More – Pintxos in San Sebastián, Spain

Experiences, Food & Drink, Lifestyle, Tips Aga

If you are a foodie like I am, there is a little town in northern Spain, on the Bay of Biscay, that you will thoroughly enjoy: San Sebastián. Nestled in the mountainous Basque country close to the French border, San Sebastian enjoys a beautiful coastline as well as the picturesque Aralar Range. Apart from the beauty and charm of the region, there is also something very special about the place: its approach to food. The abundance of local produce means there is a variety of great ingredients to play with and play they do! This enables creative cooks in the region to offer a unique experience when it comes to utilising these ingredients. The food excellence of the region is encapsulated in one word: “pintxo” (pronounced [pintʃo]).