We’ve all been there…you can’t wait to start discovering a new place, but you don’t know where to start. Beijing is one of the world’s biggest and most vibrant cities, with a rich cultural heritage and masses to explore. Splendia dropped into Hotel G and talked to some of the hotel staff…et voilà! We’ve researched the top insider tips of this buzzing metropolis so you don’t have to.
Nestled in the heart of Paris’ Latin Quarter, steps from the hustle and bustle of boulevard Saint Michel, rue Mouffetard is one of the oldest and liveliest streets of the city. A veritable plethora of tiny shops and cafés, quirky restaurants, theatres and cinemas, it is also Hemingway’s former Parisian residence. Affectionately termed “La Mouffe” by proud Parisians, it is an emblematic area of the Rive Gauche (Southern Bank) that epitomises the unique essence of the fifth arrondissement.
Start exploring this quaint place by heading to the markets of Place Monge and rue Mouffetard. You’ll find fresh fruit and vegetables and traditional butchers and bakeries – not to mention a quintessential French cheese shop or two. In winter, indulge yourself with a mouthwatering Savoyard fondue and glass of vin rouge at L’Assiette aux Fromages. In warmer months, refresh yourself at Gelati d’Alberto, where exquisite homemade Italian flower-shaped ice-creams come in delicious flavours such as rose, green tea, kiwi and lemon pie.
Guillaume Rostand is Marketing Director here at Splendia. Currently based in Barcelona, Guillaume has spent a number of years living and working in Shanghai. There is no need to feel lost in translation as Guillaume gives us some great recommendations on making the most out of a trip to this incredible city.
Describe Shanghai in th
ree words?
Noisy. Crowded. Exciting.
Where is your favourite place in the city?
My favourite place is Xiangyang Lu, in the heart of the French Concession. Many expats live in this area as it is a privileged place. The streets are lined with trees and old colonial mansions have become fashionable restaurants. Xiangyang Lu is always pleasant and surprising, with ultra modern shopping malls and luxury hotels sitting beside noodle bars where soups are RMB 8 (1€) I like to think of Xiangyang Lu as a world of oriental romance.
Odile Dicks-Mireaux is a BAFTA award-winning costume designer based in London. A background in Theatre Design led to a contract at the BBC in the 1980s, where she worked on iconic British classics Dr Who and Black Adder. Leaving the daleks and tardis behind, she has gone on to create the looks for hit movies such as The Constant Gardener, An Education and the recent of adaptation of bestselling book by David Nicholls, One Day. Odile may have worked with Hollywood royalty, but the born-and-bred Londoner has always made the capital city her home.
Here, she takes us on a tour of her most-loved central London spots and streets…
