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April 9, 2016

The Golden City

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Between Ben’s long hours and my incessant work schedule over the past few months, all we’ve wanted to do on the weekends is be in our neighborhood (and I have mostly refused to go anywhere if it requires taking the tube!). Finally though with spring hanging somewhere in the air, we dashed out of the city for a new one over the long Easter weekend. Our destination: Prague, a place that had been on my list for ages for its gothic architecture, ode to classical music, and ties to the Czech Republic through my maternal grandmother.

Praha is magical. We spent the weekend walking through the cobblestone streets, subsisted on klobasas, and listened to classical music at every chance we had. The city put on its Easter best, with festive osterbaums greeting us in little pockets of the city. Sunday was spent in Old Town Square, walking along the cobblestone streets, visiting with newborn lambs (really) and drinking underneath the Astronomical Clock. For dinner, we went to a sweet little restaurant called The Blue Duckling, which we started to laugh at because it seemed EVERYONE in our hotel had gone or was going, but it turned out to be a lovely time. Last year we spent Easter in Florence with my parents and I’ve decided it’s one of my very favorite times to travel in Europe. The cities are always in celebration mode for not only the religious holiday but also the signs of spring after the harsh winters.

Kristen Moore Ben Moore Prague

Other highlights: dashing out of the rain into a cathedral for an evening quartet playing Vivaldi on our first afternoon and staying in a 14th century monastery-turned-Mandarin Oriental — though our room was “authentic” with wooden beams that we hit our heads on, twice. We went to the theatre for an evening ballet performance of Romeo and Juliet, visited Prague Castle and spent an afternoon at the Jewish Quarter. I mean, what a whirlwind. Aside from a slight bump on the head we couldn’t have had a better time. 

Charles River Bridge

It’s been awhile since we’d taken a selfie – us at the foot of the Charles River Bridge.

Ps – After seeing what felt like hundreds of people on the streets eating what looked like the most deluxe ice cream cone we’d ever laid eyes on, we hopped in line at Good Food Bakery near the Charles Bridge. We opted for the Chimney Blizzard: the iconic Czech trdelnik with bits of chocolate and served with a lemony-vanilla soft serve. Only afterwards when I was trying to remember the name of the traditional pastry did we learn it had already taken the internet by storm! x 

Kristen Moore Prague Trdelnik Chimney

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Filed Under: Travel Tagged: Prague, Travel, Weekend Trips

August 21, 2015

Nice is Nice

This summer we have been living from high to high, with an uncanny number of celebrations and visitors (and vacations, which are celebrations all in themselves – a perk of living in Europe that my work holiday count more than doubled). We even spent two weeks back in the States visiting family, friends and New York — we missed you so!

Kristen Moore MP Passport

Last month was our first wedding anniversary. We took a three day weekend to the French Riviera, drinking in the scenery over crisp white wine, bathing on the sunny, rocky beaches and taking wonderful long walks in the hot summer sun. It felt like we grew up just a little more that weekend, realizing we were leaving our excited newlywed phase with so many milestones and entering into our calmer, lifelong partnership.

Kristen Moore Le Negresco Nice

If Nice hasn’t been on your list of places to visit, it’s one to add. Stay at Hotel Le Negresco — we did and loved everything about the art deco style and close proximity to the beach — and book a fancy dinner one night at their restaurant Le Chantecler. With two Michelin stars, you need to go hungry, drink champagne and prepare for a four-hour leisurely multi-course dinner which will give you enough time to talk about all the work seen at the Matisse and Chagall museums.

Benjamin & Kristen Moore Anniversary Nice

Just before our anniversary dinner, wearing the sash from my wedding gown x

Work up an appetite the next day with a morning sail around the Bay of Angels and pick up lunch at the market (the best time to go is late morning on Saturdays!) for the ripest peaches, fresh sandwiches and just-off-the-griddle socca. My mouth is watering right now just thinking about it! Eat it picnic style at the beach, and spend the rest of the day taking in the glamorous families and young children running around in water shoes to not cut their feet on the rocks. Other recommendations: dinner at JAN, hiking the coastline, and strolling along the promenade.

Kristen Moore, Socca in Nice

First delicious bites of socca at the market!

We ended the weekend back home on Palace Gardens Terrace, breaking out the top tier of our wedding cake from the freezer (for a buttercream cake, unwrap completely and set it on the counter for three hours as it defrosts – it will be ready to eat and absolutely delicious) and dancing barefoot in our living room to James Taylor. We read love letters from each other, and may have cried a little (okay, just me because my husband’s a doll). We talked through our year, where we were just twelve short months ago and how it feels like time has just flown. Aside from the letters, our gift to ourselves was new personalized stationery, which I’m dying to use! x

Kristen Moore Anniversary Cake

Just three rosebuds managed to be living following our weekend away, the perfect number to add to the top of the cake.

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Filed Under: Holidays, Travel, Wedding Tagged: Anniversary, France, Nice, Travel

May 15, 2015

Let’s Get Cooking (Class)

MP Cooking Class

It’s been a bit of radio silence from me these past couple of weeks, but I’m back! It was for a good reason: Ben and I took our first trip to Asia and spent the past two weeks in Thailand. It was everything I thought it would be and so much more. BUT more to come on that amazing country in the weeks ahead.

With summer travels arriving with rapid speed, I wanted to share my favorite insider tip on immersing yourself with a new culture with delicious speed: donning a chef’s hat — and taking a cooking class! This used to be something I got to do often for work (I know, such a tough gig and a major perk of working in travel PR) with journalists. We often took them to a new restaurant, hotel or winery where chefs could show off their stuff — and give them an inside look into their operations. It made for great articles… and the perfect way to understand local culture.

Most recently when traveling with my parents and Ben last month, my parents gifted us all with a fun afternoon with the Florence Food & Wine Academy. It was predicted to be a rainy day, so they (smartly) realized we would all be better off indoors. It wasn’t any of our first times to the city, so we didn’t need to spend our days traipsing around the Uffizi Gallery (though if you haven’t been to Florence, go! It’s fabulous — and book your tickets in advance).

We started our morning at Mercado Centrale, the large incredible market in the heart of the city. Here we met up with the group, picked up spices, meats and other needs. Just a hop skip and a jump from the market, we spent the following four hours listening to tales from childhoods spent with nonnas making pasta by hand, tricks on making the best bolognese sauce (mostly meat, minimal tomatoes — it overpowers), drinking chianti and munching happily on bruschetta. We made tiramisu (first so it could set), beef bolognese and ravioli by HAND. We left blissfully full and happy and promptly went back to our room for a cat nap while the rain continued around the city.

If you’re in Firenze, check out the Florence Food & Wine Academy — and if you’re anywhere else in the world look up a cooking class. We just did one in Chiang Mai through our hotel focusing on northern Thai dishes. Londoners, Jamie Oliver’s Recipease has so many classes and if you’re in NYC, you should try the Institute of Culinary Education. Happy cooking! x

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MP Pasta

MP Cooking Class 2

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Filed Under: Travel Tagged: Cooking Classes, Florence, Travel

April 1, 2015

Florence Dreaming

MP Florence Sunset

As I mentioned in my post over the weekend, one of the greatest perks of living in London is the ease of travel to other European destinations. This weekend we’re heading to Florence with my parents (so excited!), and are both so looking forward to returning. My husband studied abroad there for four months, and I visited for a few days during a trip following university graduation. It will be our first time there together, and we’re thrilled to be experiencing it with my parents who love Italy — so we’re all just giddy with excitement.

We want to spend most of the time just enjoying spring in Italy, taking in the gorgeous city, drinking delicious wine and eating yummy gelato (!), of course. There are a few other must-sees on our list {I jotted down quite a little list from Dan Brown’s Inferno, which I blew through on our honeymoon}. Here’s what we’re looking into for the weekend:

  • Wake up with a delicious cappuccino each morning
  • Stroll around the Boboli Gardens
  • Shop for leather sandals in Sabatini
  • Dine on handmade pasta and so much Chianti
  • Watch the Scoppio del Carro {the Explosion of the Cart} on Easter Sunday
  • Climb Giotto’s Campanile for a perfect view of Firenze
  • Have afternoon espresso — every afternoon
  • Eat lots and lots of gelato
  • Walk the Ponte Vecchio at sunset
  • Peruse the farmer’s stands and artisan shops at Mercato Centrale

Scoppio del Carro

The amazing Explosion of the Cart in front of Santa Maria del Fiore.

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Filed Under: Travel Tagged: Florence, Italy, Travel

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