Among My Souvenirs

Alain Ducasse Is Now Serving Versailles – plus Where Else You Should Be Eating This Year Interviewed by Kimberley Lovato Behind the gilded gates of the Château de Versailles, Alain Ducasse recently opened the first full-service restaurant inside the French royal palace. With a name that’s Latin for “mouth” and similar to the French word for “gold,” Ore serves lunch with a sparkle of history and approachable sophistication. In the evening, the space becomes Ducasse at the Château de Versailles, a private event venue for 2 to 124 guests. HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED WITH CHÂTEAU DE VERSAILLES? It’s part of the larger project that began in 1997 to better accommodate visitors through the newly renovated Pavillon Dufour, where the restaurant is located, and the Pavillon Gabriel. The château managers wanted a restaurant, so I created one with two faces: Ore, a contemporary French café open during the day, and Ducasse at the Château de Versailles, for elegant private dinners. At Ore, you ca...

This post discusses fun things to do in Krakow, Poland’s second biggest city and a hub for culture, arts, and economics. ___ The train came to a halt around 6:00 a.m. We waited and waited and then, waited a little bit more.  Nobody seemed to be moving.  In a haze, I came out from my little cabin, opened one of the main doors and stick my head outside.  In the distance, I saw a guy signaling me to get back in. After taking the night train from Prague, the arrival time to Krakow was near.  That is when a streak of fear hit me.  I was not sure how I ended up on a train so far from home, in a country that was completely foreign to me where I knew (maybe) two words of the local language.  And, did I mention it was 6:00 a.m., dark and cold? The oppressing feeling started to melt away once we made it to the hotel.  We were lucky since they already had a room ready for us.  Once upstairs, I opened the window and got my first view of Old Town.  Minutes after that, I heard the trumpet...

This post discusses the top things to do in Cayucos, California (Central Coast).  This beach town offers uncrowded, pet-friendly beach, surfing, kayaking, a historic pier and plenty of restaurants. __ The other day, I showed a coworker photos of my recent Central Coast trip. After grabbing my phone and scrolling throughout the photos, she asked me in disbelief: “Is this California?” “Yup, that is our state,” I replied. “Oohhh, looks like a perfect place to take my kids,” she said before proceeding to ask me more details about the area. I am not sure how to describe my emotions after that interchange of words.  Giddy. Proud. Inspired.  I feel good when people are surprised by the beauty of California.  At the same time, it is a pleasure to spark the flame of adventure in others. Bearing that in mind, I decided to put together all my knowledge about another treasure of our Central Coast.  To be honest, I would like to keep this one a secret.  Nevertheless, I feel like sharing toda...