KATIE MANNINGPORTFOLIO

WORLD’S SEXIEST HOTEL ROOMS

While we’re all for some alfresco spontaneity sometimes romance relies on a little ambience. Enter the luxury hotel room. The sort of room that is so perfectly placed between comfort and opulence that, despite the sun shining and the waves lapping, outside seems far too far away and instead you could quite happily spend the day/s in your massive new bed.

MOROCCO ROOM, ZANZIBAR INTERNATIONAL HOTEL, HASTINGSBesides featuring what is potentially the biggest bed we’ve ever seen in our lives, this Bedouin boudoir in Hastings – yes, Hastings – is a romantic room option for those who want the seductive style of a Moroccan Riad without going any further than England’s south east coast. The Zanzibar Hotel’s only split level room, decorated with deep reds and sequinned fabrics, oozes sensuality, with the entire top floor taken up with the sumptuous cushioned bed. Wake up to a champagne breakfast and a newspaper delivered to your door – just remember the Do Not Disturb sign to avoid unwelcome wake-up calls.From £180 per night

OCEAN PANORAMIC VILLA, MAIA SPA AND RESORT, SEYCHELLESOh, what we’d do for a butler…. To take care of our every whim, and maybe do a little deferential nod whilst tucking one arm behind a tailcoated back. Well, at this seductive Seychelles resort there’s an actual butler included in the room – though in reality he’s unlikely to be wearing a tailcoat. The island of Mahe in the north-eastern part of the Seychelles is home to Maia’s very own private peninsula, surrounded by 12 acres of orchid-and-hibiscus-filled gardens and just a couple of paces from the sparkling sands of Anse Louis beach. At Maia a complimentary bottle of champagne awaits your arrival and immediately sets the tone for your stay. The villas here are not just five, but six star – a private butler is always going to warrant an extra star – with 180⁰ views out over the azure blue seas as well as your own private infinity pool. And let’s take a moment to appreciate the thatched alfresco sunken bath – lined with tea lights, fully equipped with the very best bubble bath and strewn with rose petals. If this doesn’t put you in the mood then your libido is officially dead.From £1,373 per night

MYSTIQUE HOTEL, SANTORINIPerched atop the cliffs of the picturesque town of Oia on the northwest coast of Santorini, Mystique Hotel is your quintessential holiday love pad. Bringing out your carnal nature, the spacious free standing villas are all handcrafted from rugged and rustic wood and stone. Aside from the soundproof walls –

a definite plus point – the luxury king size beds and outdoor Jacuzzi, with its incredible views out over the Aegean Sea, provide the ultimate setting for a dirty weekend with style. If you do manage to drag yourself out of your room then the hotel has its own private volcanic black sand beach and a secret wine cellar, potentially strewn with red roses and lit by candlelight where you can enjoy a romantic dinner for two.From £440 per night

AZURA, BENGUERRA ISLAND, MOZAMBIQUEThe hand-built villas at Azura emerge out of the wild tropical greenery of the Bazaruto Marine Park on Benguerra Island, like little luxury oases. With locally sourced wooden beams and thatched jekka roofs, they are the perfect blend of traditional Mozambican design and boutique style luxe – and better yet, come with stunning beachfront locations and views out over the Indian Ocean that seem to go on forever. The rooms themselves have enormous beds, made-up of course with the very best Egyptian cotton linen, and private five-metre infinity pools where you can enjoy a late-night, clothing-optional dip – if you can’t quite make it the few footsteps onto the beach beyond.From £495 per night

THE DATAI LANGKAWI, MALAYSIAIf you’re after your very own piece of Asian paradise then look towards The Detai on the north-western tip of Langkawi Island. Set in the midst of a tropical rainforest and backed by an idyllic private white sand beach that rolls out into the Andaman Sea, its individual villas are

ideal for a luxury love-in. A dining table and DVD player make for an in-room dinner-and-movie date that doesn’t involve the dilemma of whose place you go back to. Whether you’re cooling off in your own private plunge pool with built-in Jacuzzi, or perhaps taking a shower-for-two in the massive rainfall washroom, there aren’t that many reasons to ever leave your villa – it even includes a Lavazza coffee machine so your morning-after caffeine fix is only footsteps away.From £280 per night

FIVE OF THE BESTPOST SAFARI RETREATS

Unwind, post-safari, at one of our favourite luxury African beach resorts. Once you’ve sampled the Serengeti, stalked some big game and generally safaried yourself out, it’s time to kick back on the nearest stretch of golden sand and contemplate your wildlife adventures at one of our favourite post-safari African beach resorts...

CHOLE MJINI LODGE, CHOLE ISLAND, TANZANIAIf you’re after a tropical retreat, then Chole Mjini’s thatched tree-houses – elevated between jungle and beach – are the perfect place to play Tarzan and Jane. High up in the ancient Baobab trees that line the shores of Chole island – which is just off the larger Mafia island and south of the Tanzanian capital, Dar Es Salaam – the rooms here are reached via sandy walkways, wooden platforms and ladders, and contain giant King size beds where you are lulled to sleep by the sound of the sea and awoken (hopefully not too early) by birdsong. There’s no electricity or mobile phone reception here, so it’s a real back-to-Eden experience. All the tree-houses are sea-facing and some even feature a separate elevated room with 360-degree views out over the water. The resort is dedicated to responsible tourism, so there’s a feel-good factor here that goes deeper than diving with whales and snorkelling with turtles – but you can totally do that too.

LONDO LODGE, QUIRIMBAS, MOZAMBIQUEThe cluster of thatched-roof villas that perch up on the cliff’s edge, overlooking Pemba Bay, effortlessly mix decadent luxury with eclectic interiors and elements of traditional design to create the perfect place to unwind after your African

adventure. Moroccan artwork adorns the walls and local Maconde woodcraft sits alongside Victorian mirrors and doze-inducing Belgian bed-linen. Not only does Mozambique offer some of the most pristine beaches in Africa, but it also has vast game reserves teeming with wildlife, national parks, and turquoise waters – perfect for exploring via a sunset sailing trip on a traditional dhow. Make time for a couple of hours at the cliff-side spa where, after one of their Papaya-Ginger scrubs or Pre-sun Coconut treatments, you will feel fully rejuvenated and ready for some serious sand time.

FUNDU LAGOON, PEMBA ISLAND, ZANZIBARThis is as about as far away from it all as you can get. Funda Lagoon resort is only accessible by boat from Zanzibar and sits on the southwest side of Pemba Island on an immaculate stretch of bright white sand. The small cluster of luxury tented rooms are all Robin Crusoe-meets-Arabian Nights, with beds draped in gossamer mosquito nets and scattered with colourful cushions. Chill out up at the hillside pool, surrounded by tropical forests, or simply step out from your secluded room straight onto the sand and go for a swim in the impossibly clear sea. After a day topping up your tan, walk out over the water on wooden platforms for a pre-dinner cocktail at the Jetty Bar – there are few places on earth with quite so much character.

PUMULANI, LAKE MALAWILegendary explorer David Livingstone described Lake Malawi as ‘the lake of stars’ and, at Pumulani, you can star gaze in style from the terrace of your private villa. In the local Chichewa language, the lodge’s name translates to ‘rest well’ and you are encouraged to do just that, with days spent stretched out on the soft lakeside sand or swimming in the infinity pool that overlooks the glistening waters below. At dusk, enjoy dinner al fresco – served up with incredible views out over the lake and game-sized proportions of romance. The villas are nestled into the undergrowth just seconds from the beach and all feature distinctive grass roofs, designed to deflect the heat of the African sun. Sample the fresh waters of the lake by canoe, kayak or water-ski... or simply cool off with a refreshing dip between tanning sessions.

THONGA BEACH LODGE, KWAZULU-NATAL, SOUTH AFRICASet on the unspoiled Maputaland coast in South Africa, Thonga Beach’s luxury thatched suites sit up on wooden stilts within a World Heritage site and look out onto endless azure seas. With a promise to

preserve the natural vegetation, the rooms here are positioned within a sensitive milkwood forest and coastal dune soils and look over untamed sandy beaches, beautiful swimming bays and colourful coral reefs offering some incredible off-shore dive sites. Better still, If you can spare a second away from your sun-lounger, carry on the ‘safari’ experience with a turtle tracking trip along the coast. Want even more private time? The lodge can arrange for you to dine by candle light on the shore of the Indian Ocean for a dizzyingly romantic dinner.

COOKERY COURSES AT THE BEACH

If like us, you return home after a holiday with serious culinary withdrawal symptoms, the prospect of bringing back some of the good stuff is pretty appealing. Spend a few days in the sun cooking up a storm and return home a domestic god/goddess. That’s the plan anyway...

LA FORESTERIA, SICILYAtop a hill, surrounded by sprawling vineyards and olive groves and overlooking a vast stretch of sand and azure blue Sicilian sea, La Foresteria is everything we could hope for from a rural Italian cooking retreat. Under the attentive eye of Chef Angelo Pumilia, you’ll learn how to use the very best seasonal Mediterranean ingredients, from sun-ripened fruit and veg to freshly caught fish and seafood. You’ll also get the chance to sample some of the estate’s own wines, along with a selection of other Sicilian vintages, at special tasting events accompanied by an extravagant four course menu. After class, head down the road to Porto Palo beach for a spot of sand time.Prices from around £1,374 per person for 5 days

THE MORNING GLORY COOKING SCHOOL, HOI ANN, VIETNAMMs Trinh Diem Vy, known locally as simply “Ms Vy”, is a bit of a Hoi An institution and one of Vietnam’s most famous celebrity chefs. Specialising in Street Food, the Morning Glory cooking school on the south central coast of Vietnam, offers a range of courses from beginner to professional, as well as all-day private sessions. Learn how to recreate your favourite Vietnamese street-side snacks using the very best local ingredients and relax after lessons on one of Cua Dai’s stunning beaches, just a few minutes down the road. With treats like green papaya salad, fresh spring rolls and Vietnamese crispy pancakes (banh xeo) on the menu, you are sure to become pretty popular back home.Prices from around £13 per class

ON THE MENU, GOA, INDIASurrounded by some of the most beautiful beaches in India, On the Menu runs a perfectly paced introduction to Indian cooking that will take you through everything from how to prepare and use spices, to regional dishes like north Indian biryanis and Goan coconut curries. Chef and host, Judy, makes for a lively and entertaining teacher, preaching the importance of throwing away your recipe books and learning to cook by instinct and experience. After lessons, relax on the outdoor veranda and watch the fishing boats go by or make your way down to one of the nearby palm-fringed beaches.Prices from around £299 per week (without accommodation)

THE BEACH HOUSESTOKKØYA SJØSENTER, HOSNASAND BEACH, NORWAYThis week we’ve headed to sandy Scandi shores to the beautiful beach of Hosnasand and sleek Stokkøya Sjøsenter in Norway

‘We told the architects to create something that Wallpaper* journalists would cry to write about,’ says Torild Langklop, co-owner of Stokkøya Sjøsenter, the cluster of sleek, scant, ever-so Scandi underground beach cottages that challenge every assumption you’ve ever had about what makes a great beach property (err, views… light…). The architects, it would appear, outdid themselves.

Of course Wallpaper* wrote about them. Look at them: A completely out-of-place, eco-conscious curve of a property that has somehow settled in to a landscape which, by rights, should have nothing to do with it. Like the city-slicker who found peace in the country.

But then that’s pretty much what the island of Stokkøya, just off Norway’s west coast, is about. The stressed-out city types make the two-hour car or bus journey from major mainland city, Trondheim, to soak up the serenity. They’re not keen on noise here – motorboats tend to get disapproving looks. So you swim and you kayak and you hike and you dive, soothed by the silence and the sound of your own breathing.

And if you’re staying at Stokkøya Sjøsenter then you walk straight out on to the heroic sweep of Hosnasand Beach. In fact, if you’re staying at Stokkøya Sjøsenter then you’re actually in Hosnasand Beach, with each of its underground cottages built down into the sand.

It should be dark, it should be oppressive, especially given the concrete walls and minimal furnishings. But, of course, it’s not. Underground, light spills into the rooms through domes in the ceiling. At ground level, an entrance area looks through floor-to-ceiling glass out onto the white sand and beyond. On a clear summer’s night you can see Halten light house, 16 nautical miles out to sea. And, more surprising, given the cool minimalism of it all, there’s even a touch of cosy about it. You are cocooned without being suffocated.

Down the sand is Stokkøya Sjøsenter’s beach bar – though it’s more of a chic eatery disguised as a beach bar. Torild’s partner, co-owner, Roar Svenning, was once a scallop and sea-urchin diver and exported seafood globally. Nowadays he keeps hold of the good stuff; mouth-watering blue mussels are a regular speciality.

One final word to the Dutch Tubs– barrel-shaped, wood-fired hot tubs – that sit on the outside decking and provide an alternative place to appreciate a beer and a view that’s hard to rival.

BREATHTAKINGVIEWS FROM

BREATHTAKINGROOMS

HOSPES MARICEL, MALLORCASitting right on the water’s edge in Calvia on Mallorca’s southwest coast, Hospes Maricel has one of those magical, memory-defining – and, ultimately, frustrating – views that will nearly always disappoint once it is captured on camera. Little, especially not you in all your SLR-pointing enthusiasm, can quite do it justice. And so that leaves you at the expedient dead-end of having to go there – to drink it all in through arches, arcades and open windows, to get lost in the dreamy disappearing horizon, to try and capture it on a memory card and then explain to friends back home that as beautiful as it looks, it was so much better than that in reality.

Once a hot-shot playground and international party pad, Maricel has become a whole new animal since Spanish Hoteliers Hospes took it under their wing and transformed it into a stylish seaside retreat. Everywhere you look are traditional Balearic features that have outlived the original 1949 building – from the imposing neo-classical entrance, to marble pillars and solid sandstone facades, brought bang into the 21st century by architect Xavier Claramunt’s minimalist modern flair.

Blurred boundaries abound – infinity pool waters seemingly meet the sea and ocean views snatched through archways and floor-to-ceiling windows bring the outside in and somehow make you feel as if the panorama is part of the hotel grounds – and an extension of your own personal space.

And when it comes to a room with a view, the Presidential suite has it all with towering mountains on one side and endless deep blue sea on the other. Sip it in on your own private terrace before padding over to the hotel spa set deep inside the Oceanside caves to delve to even deeper levels of relaxation.

Inside New Orleans’ Jazz DensA Jazz musician’s Mecca, New Orleans, or Nola as it’s lovingly nicknamed, is well worth the pilgrimage. Having produced a long list of Jazz and Blues “greats”, including household names like Louis Armstrong, Dr John, and the entire Marsalis family, it’s little wonder many an aspiring player sees this city as their spiritual home. After the devastation wreaked by Hurricane Katrina, Nola has finally managed to re-build and syncopated beats can once more be heard drifting through the doors of local clubs and bars across town. One word of warning though – if you’re after the real deal, do not join the tourists on Bourbon Street, but instead head off to the lesser-known local hangouts on Frenchmen Street, in the Faubourg Marigny district. In these dilapidated music dens, you’ll hear the cream of the New Orleans crop play well into the early hours on any night of the week you choose. Take a listen to some of our favourite Nola inspired tracks below, from Sachmo to Etta – not technically New Orleans born but hey, any excuse will do.

Snug HarbourIntimate would be a generous way of describing the space here, but discomfort is part of the bargain if you want to hear local legends like Ellis Marsalis take to the piano. Delighting friends and die-hard fans alike, this is the kind of place you could imagine bumping into jazz royalty at the bar. Sit back; order yourself a Po Boy sandwich washed down with a whisky and soak up some of the best Jazz you’re ever likely to hear.

Apple Barrel BarIf it’s home-grown blues you’re after then Apple Barrel is the place go. Tiny and invariably completely packed, you may not find a seat but be to be honest you’re unlikely to care once the band begins to play. With a completely fluid line up of musicians that shifts to include every new player that drifts through the door clutching their instrument, you never know quite what to expect – apart from incredible music that is. For afters, head over the road to The Spotted Cat, where you’ll hear everything from traditional Jazz and Blues through to Latin and up-beat Funk.

d.b.aWith a sister bar in New York, d.b.a isn’t the most traditional of Nola venues, but what it lacks in pedigree it more than makes up for in talent. The likes of Stevie Wonder have graced this stage and top players from far and wide flock to perform under this particular spotlight. Housed in a building dating back to the 1800s and clad in Cyprus wood, musicians proclaim this bar to have some of the warmest acoustics in the city.

Preservation Hall and Candlelight LoungeThese last two venues are only for the most committed of music enthusiasts. At Preservation Hall expect very limited seating on very hard wooden benches, no air-conditioning and no refreshments served at all. But also expect to see some of the city’s very best Jazz – with musicians well into their eighties playing alongside fresh young talent, between old watermarked walls hung with faded photographs of big name stars. A trip to Candlelight Lounge should be made on a Wednesday evening, when local favourites the Treme Brass Band keep an animated crowd on their feet all night long. If you’re after an authentic slice of New Orleans night life, this is where you’ll find it.

From site-specific installations right through to audio, film and performance pieces, Public Art is something that infiltrates our everyday lives; whether we actively search for it, or not. Fused into the urban landscape of New York, the works we encounter whilst walking though the city streets are often every bit as influential as those you might find in the Met or the MoMA. Whether wandering amidst the graffiti covered walls of dilapidated warehouses, or ambling through perfectly preened parks sprinkled liberally with sculptural artworks, the pieces we encounter force us view our environment from a new perspective…and best of all, they’re accessible to everyone.

The High LineNow one of New York’s most iconic landmarks, The High Line is a public park built on a disused railway line than runs above the streets of Manhattan, from the Meatpacking District right though to 10th and 11th Avenues. Opened in 2009, The High Line displays an incredibly broad range of pieces from big name artists, as well as emerging talent. In 2012 alone visitors to the park can expect to find a giant billboard featuring a commissioned piece by David Shrigley, a series of storage containers transformed into a dramatic installation by Charles Mary Kubricht and a moving sound installation called “Digital Empathy” by Julianne Swartz where messages of concern, support, love, and the odd snippet of poetry, will be transmitted through a number of bathrooms, sinks and water features across the park. In addition, there will also be curated film screenings projected onto the wall of a nearby building every night of the week and a programme of performance pieces by a variety of different artists. A walk in the park has never had quite so much to offer.

Public Art in NYC

5Pointz: The Institute of Higher Burnin’Controversial though it may be, 5Pointz is a Mecca for graffiti artists all over the globe. Spread across the walls of a 200,000 square foot factory turned outdoor exhibition space in Queens, the artwork on display here is orchestrated, and of course, curated, by graffiti god Jonathan Cohen – otherwise known as “Meres One”. Pioneer of the aerosol art scene, Cohen aims eventually to turn 5Pointz into a graffiti art museum, complete with training school for aspiring artists. For the moment though, 5Pointz remains the much loved hub of well known artists, musicians, filmmakers and photographers…all of which can be found hanging out amongst the colourful murals most days of the week. Perhaps the most exciting aspect of this particular brand of public art is that it’s always evolving with each new artist that contributes to the canvas; meaning you’re sure to find something new on every visit. A word of warning though, there are rumours that 5Pointz could be pulled down at any point, so I’d plan your visit soon.

The Water Tank Project and the Delancey UndergroundLooking to the future, New York has some pretty exciting public art projects on the horizon. From high up in the city skyline, to deep underneath the streets, get set to experience an exciting array of public pieces. Scheduled for 12 weeks during the spring/summer of 2013, The Water Tank Project will see approximately 300 of New York’s water tanks transformed into eye-catching artworks set into the cityscape. Masterminded by the nonprofit organisation “Word Above the Street”, this city-wide exhibition will feature a variety of prominent artists and is designed to raise awareness about the global water supply, as well as encourage New Yorkers to embrace a more sustainable way of life.

Still in the planning stages, The Delancey Underground is the brainchild of ex-NASA architect James Ramsey and technology wiz/Google graduate Dan Barasch. Nicknamed “the Low Line”, this project aims to convert the former Williamsburg Trolley Terminal into an underground park and public art space powered by solar technology and fibre optics. Dating back to 1903, this vast underground area stretches from Brooklyn to Manhattan and has lain dormant since 1948. One of the most ambitious projects New York has seen in a while, if The Delancey Underground were to go ahead, this decaying space would be given a whole new lease of life through as series of live performances, art exhibitions and even famers’ markets – fingers crossed then.

From short pit-stops to all out spa days, Provence offers every ingredient we could possibly need for a touch of well-earned pampering. So, don your fluffiest robe, put on your softest slippers and join us for a spot of Provence-style indulgence.

Couvent de Minimes Hotel & (L’OCCITANE) SpaHome to one of our best loved beauty brands, Couvent de Minimes is the perfect place to kick off your Spa pilgrimage. Housed in a converted nunnery dating back to 1613, the traditional setting here perfectly compliments the natural, local ingredients that L’OCCITANE products are famous for. Making use of the honey, verbena, lemon and lavender grown on-site in the picturesque gardens, the treatment menu offers an authentic Provençal approach to health and relaxation. Opt for a soothing Hot and Cold Lemon-Verbena Massage, or try one of the signature facials, Immortelle Secret to youth, for a firming massage designed to relax muscular tension and smooth out fine lines for fresher younger looking skin…here’s hoping.

Pampering in Provence

La Bastide des BainsHidden away behind heavy Art Deco doors in central Marseille, La Bastide des Bains is the last place you might expect to encounter a traditional Hammam. Reminiscent of ancient Roman baths, the two stone and mosaic rooms are set to medium and high temperatures and are infused with the scent of eucalyptus. Purify your skin with a traditional scrub followed by a nourishing body mask of Moroccan clay blended with rose water or orange blossom. After your treatments take the time to wind down in the candlelit comfort of the relaxation room before heading out onto the busy city streets.

Thalazur Thalassotherapy & Spa Hotel Ile RouseeOverlooking the tranquil waters of Rènecros Bay, this little corner of Provence coastline boasts one of the best locations we could find for a Thalassotherapy Spa. Harnessing the restorative properties of seawater, the specialist spa here offers up a heated outdoor infinity pool (seawater of course), a solarium, two private beaches for post treatment tanning, and an extensive list of wellbeing and beauty therapies. Experience a romantic couples treatment in the spacious DUO suite complete with private Hamman and Jacuzzi, or take advantage of some “me time” and indulge in an organic seaweed wrap. And best of all, this is not the kind of Spa that only serves carrot juice, so you’re free to follow up treatments at the beachside bar with a glass or two of local Provençal wine.

Designer ChocolateQuite a few of us claim to be chocoholics. Perhaps not the kind that keep cupboards full of Cadburys in case of an emergency, but certainly the sort that will happily forgo a starter in favour of the chocolate fondant we’ve already spotted on the dessert menu. But, since meeting Samantha Aquim, the chef responsible for new Brazilian chocolate “Q”, this term has taken on an entirely new meaning.

Made from cocoa beans hand-picked by Samantha herself in the deepest depths of a Bahia plantation, this designer chocolate is all about the integrity of the original ingredient; removing artificial flavourings to reveal the natural tastes and aromas of Brazilian cocoa. Oscar Niemeyer, Brazil’s most famous architect, is responsible for the unusual presentation and design of both the chocolate – which is formed into beautifully sensuous curved bars, and the packaging – a canvas travel bag containing a large wooden box inscribed with a golden Q. More of a work of art than a piece of confectionary, Q is at the forefront of a new movement in chocolate, and Samantha, it’s very own intrepid pioneer.

We caught up with Samantha to do some tasting (yes, there are some serious perks to this job), and find out a little bit more about Q…

Designer Chocolate

What were you trying to achieve when you first decided to develop Q?Today what chocolate is, is something that is a texture – a very good texture, a very sensual texture, but with a lot of sugar and vanilla and caramel and a lot of other things that are not cocoa flavours. I tried to find a chocolate bar that could remind me of the wonderful experience I had when I visited the cocoa plantation in Bahia but I couldn’t find one. So after a year of searching , I decided I had to try and make the chocolate to see if it was possible to put the cocoa back into the chocolate. For us this is not a chocolate but a trip to the plantation. It is a way to share what we felt.

What inspired you to become a chef and ultimately to work with chocolate?I was a sociologist and I was not at all in the food area, but then my family started a food company and one day my mother took me to Italy to do a cooking class. Italy was so magical that I said maybe that’s something I want to do also. So I quit my job and in less than a month I moved to Paris and I went to study at Lenotre. I always go back to Paris; it is the place to talk about food.

What does Q stand for?We decided to use the letter Q, which we have in our name Aquim, because in Portuguese this is a question. If you see Q and you say the name of the letter in Portuguese it means “what” or “what is it”. For us this is not only a chocolate we want to sell, but also a way of producing chocolate that we want people to copy because we want to eat better chocolate. It’s a statement – let’s talk about chocolate.

You have developed two different types of chocolate; smoothness and intensity. For you, what is the different between them?For me smoothness is like walking on the beach – fresh, delicious and when the sun is strong you can hardly see. Intensity is like walking in the forest, you miss the sun but it allows the other flavours to come through.

Would you ever consider doing something similar with a different ingredient? Coffee for example?We have a friend who has a coffee plantation, a very special one in Brazil, and he keeps inviting us to go because he’s very excited to have us there to see how we react to the flavours and aromas…but then for me it’s a little scary. Do I have the intention to work with coffee? No. Will I do it? Probably yes. I hope so because then that would mean that food keeps touching me and inspiring me and I hope that will happen forever.

Cocktails and Amuse Bouche with BouludThis may sound like one massive excuse for guilt-free alcohol consumption, but we truly believe a lot can be learnt from the inside of a cocktail glass. Combine this with a plate or two of award winning cuisine and we’re well on our way to some real destination discovery…and ahem, quite possibly a great night out. All over the world, little localised revolutions are occurring within the culinary arena, pushing people to expose their taste buds to a new and exciting array of flavours. With this in mind, we’ve travelled to New York; one of the largest, most influential, urban metropolises we could find, to discover what lies behind the fast food façade and really makes people in this town tick.

Dubbed “the epicentre of the modern cocktail revolution” by American writer Jay McInerney, and proudly producing some of the world’s most innovative contemporary cooking, New York’s culinary scene has a lot to say. So, sticking religiously to the rules of the traveller bible, we followed the locals to find out exactly which establishments we should be frequenting, and well, we found something of a Daniel Boulud fever spreading across town. With a three Michelin star flagship restaurant named Daniel, as well as a chain of smaller Café Boulud restaurants scattered across America, Asia and Europe, this French-born New York-based chef is fast becoming one of New York’s most prised possessions.

Letting you into the ever exclusive world of the New York elite, it’s Daniel in particular that’s stolen the spotlight, as Boulud teams up with mixologist Xavier Herit to create a cocktail and amuse bouche menu that we could quite literally live on for the rest of our lives. Split into his and hers sections, you have the choice of conforming to the gender norms and choosing from your own side of the menu, or taking a chance to see how the other half live. Expect to sample elaborate and incredibly inventive cocktails made with only the freshest hand picked ingredients, alongside beautifully balanced and expertly prepared mini-dishes, paired perfectly with your drink of choice.

So, pull up a bar stool and set about some truly intrepid menu exploration…or, if you can’t quite make it over the pond right this very second, pick up a copy of the recipe book at an Assouline boutique and recreate the magic at home.

KATIE_SA_MANNING@HOTMAIL.COM