Tag: tel aviv

Chinese New Year Getaways: Where to travel for the lunar festivities

If you’re still not worn out by the excitement and jet lag from your Christmas travels, you’re in luck as there’s still time to plan your trip for the next big holiday – Chinese New Year, which falls at the end of January. From the tropical beauty of Saipan to the romantic Renaissance charm of Venice, here are our top picks for Chinese New Year getaways.

Chinese New Year getaways

Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands

The beautiful Micronesian island Saipan – tucked away into a remote corner of the Pacific Ocean – is a perfect juxtaposition of the picturesque beauty of land and water. This can be seen from the peak of Mt. Tapochau, one of the isle’s must-visit destinations, where you can get a 360-degree view of the entire island and the languid waters beyond. There is also the Forbidden Island, a destination you can reach by trekking for less than an hour from the main road. This hike further serves to highlight the inherent natural beauty of Saipan’s verdant greenery and azure seas. Moreover, the aquatic scenes of the island is accentuated with its famous Grotto, an underwater limestone cave where you can enjoy activities like scuba diving, snorkelling, diving and more.

Chinese New Year getaways

Tel Aviv, Israel

Known for its iconic Bauhaus architecture, the Israeli city of Tel Aviv’s artistic scene is ubiquitous wherever one may roam. For the athletically inclined, countless bike friendly lanes makes it easier for you to experience these visuals. For art enthusiasts, there is the Tel Aviv Museum of Art with current art exhibitions like A New Age: The Spiritual in Art on display until February 2, 2020. With mysticism and spiritualism as the themes of the exhibition, you can see the work of artists like Emma Kunz, Maxime Rossi and more. The city’s largest park ‒ HaYarkon Park is worth a day on your itinerary with its water park, bird sanctuary and zoo.

Chinese New Year getaways

Venice, Italy

A city that is synonymous to a romantic vibe easily tops any destination list for Chinese New Year getaways. Be it strolling navigating the Floating City’s countless bridges or riding the gondola on the Grand Canal with a view of the beautifully arched Rialto bridge, you will feel like you have been transported into a paradise. History buffs could do far worse than visit the Doge’s Palace, which housed La Serenissima’s ruling dukes for centuries, while, for people who admire the work of Renaissance artists like Bellini, Carpaccio, Giorgione, there is the Galleria dell’Accademia di Venezia. For those enamoured with contemporary art, the Peggy Guggenheim Collection should also feature high on your itinerary.

Chinese New Year getaways

Bristol, England

From stumbling upon the artwork of now-popular graffiti artist Banksy to spending a day at the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, the UK city of Bristol is sure to impress. Moreover, the Clifton Suspension Bridge and the Bristol Cathedral are a testimony to the port’s rich heritage and palpable history. A visit to the art and science centre We The Curious will be entertaining with events like Winter Stargazing 3D and Solar System Odyssey happening currently. More importantly, you can also indulge in a one-of-a-kind experience by hot air ballooning ‒ the city’s most famous activity – to gain a whole new perspective on this vibrant city.

Chinese New Year getaways

Nainital, India

Located on the foothills of the towering Himalayas, Nainital is a very serene and aesthetic city to visit any time of the year. In fact, the place takes pride in its view thus having special spots to admire it. For instance, there is the Snow Viewpoint and the Naini Peak where you will get a mesmerising sight of the City of Lakes. If you are a fan of horse riding, you can ride one to the Naini Peak like many others or you can trek too.  Besides, with mountains forming a panoramic view around the Naini lake, you can enjoy a boat ride or a ropeway ride, all without breaking a sweat, making this perhaps one of the more relaxing Chinese New Year getaways on our list

FRANCIS brings Tel Avivian food culture to Wan Chai

2018 is looking to be a strong year for Hong Kong’s F&B scene with so many new restaurant openings in the first month alone – FRANCIS in Wan Chai being one of them. The neighbourhood hangout opened its doors on January 22 in the up-and-coming St Francis Yard section of Wan Chai (just down the road from Pici). 

The airy 30-seater concept celebrates Tel Aviv’s vibrant food culture with curated wines and an inspired menu of mezes. As soon as I heard about it, I immediately booked a girls’ dinner to get the 411. Tel Aviv is one of my favourite cities in the world for many reasons, and the cuisine stands out in my memory as the best of any trip I’ve ever done. (Read: 10 Reasons Why Tel Aviv Should Be Your Next Holiday)

Stuffed Mussels (HK$110)

Refreshingly, FRANCIS is not ‘just another brand’ adding to the roster of some big dining group. It’s the first venture for a trio of young entrepreneurs led by James Ward, former manager at successful venues Aqua, Zafran and The Ocean in Repulse Bay. His partners are Israeli-born chef Asher Goldstein and sommelier Simone Sammuri.

Goldstein, a native of Tel Aviv, crafted a seasonal menu of shared plates using organic produce in addition to fresh seafood and vegetables. In fact, the night we came we dined meatless: Baked Halloumi with pomegranate molasses and wild oregano (HK$120), Smoked Carrots with almond and spiced honey (HK$90), Cauliflower with yogurt and tarragon (HK$80) and Raw Tuna with kohlrabi, anchovy and tomato (HK$140). 

Ward, Goldstein and Sammuri
Grilled Octopus with harissa, burgul potato cake (HK$140)

If I were to go back, I would try the Hummus (HK$80), Falafel (HK$50) and Sweet Potato with paprika and feta (HK$90); they ran out of the latter when we were there. For dessert, we had a delicious modern take on the Palestinian knafeh, a crispy pastry with melting mozzarella inside topped with orange blossom and pistachio (HK$80). This one was definitely one of my favourites at Shuk Ha’Carmel.

Word of warning: I was eating with a girlfriend and neither of us has much of an appetite, but we had to order at least five plates between the two of us (dessert included). We had to shell out around HK$450 each in the end (counting the wine), which is no small price to pay for only half-filling our stomachs. 

Baked Halloumi cheese – excellent! (HK$120)

What should you expect at FRANCIS? Refined versions of your Tel Avivian classics in tiny portions. The wine selection, on the other hand, is altogether another matter: the vintages are excellent and you can get a bottle of red from HK$180.

FRANCIS is definitely a great place to catch up with friends over casual bites and drinks (we loved the vibe!), but for a sit down dinner I would recommend eating somewhere else (first). Shalom!

FRANCIS G/F, 4 & 6, St. Francis Street, Wan Chai (852) 3101 9521 hello@francis.com.hk www.francis.com.hk facebook.com/francishkrestaurant/ instagram.com/francishongkong/