Tag Archives: Leisure

Ski Weekend in Club Med Valmorel

Posted on January 30, 2018 | Leave a comment

It Snowed the Day Before

  

Fresh Snow!

A great way to start the year! What a pleasure to bring out my ski outfit! Let’s go to the French Alps for a weekend in Valmorel, a small village of the Tarentaise. The coming back after almost a year! I am euphoric in front of the landscape’s beauty. But also a bit perplexed: am I still able to ski?

Fortunately, no time to procrastinate: I have to pick up my equipment at the Club Med‘s very well organized ski room. Then I join Nicolas, the ESF instructor (with an infinite patience), for an intensive day of skiing. Wow, the weather is fantastic and tracks are empty! My advice, go skiing outside school holidays and / or spring (ideal conditions for beginners)!    

Some of the slopes are lined with fir trees and remind me of Méribel, one of my favorite ski resorts. Here, there is a more intimate vibe as the ski area is smaller. Apart from the sea or ocean, few landscapes can make me as happy as the snow-capped peaks. It’s just b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l!

A Tour in Valmorel

Laid Back Après-Ski

In the early evening, we take the Club Med’s shuttle to the pedestrian village of Valmorel. The perfect timing for an aperitif in one of the village bars, the really cool Jimbo Lolo where I drank a hot Caipirinha (photo above).

At the Maryan bakery, I discuss chocolate with the owner and pastry chef of Celine (Dion)’s wedding cake! Below, the roses of the sands. Then back to Club Med, where we had dinner every night (photo below). 

The View From My Room

Picture above: the view from my bed! The kind of view that makes me get up at dawn to contemplate the landscape for hours. My before and apres-ski moments. 

 

Picture below: the view from Club Med’s main terrace on the ski slopes!

 

Photos : © Mademoiselle Le K – Tous droits réservés.

Informations   

Skiing Into Spring, France Montagnes, Club Med Valmorel

Related posts : LIFESTYLE, DESTINATIONS & HOTEL REVIEWS

Many thanks to France Montagnes and Club Med Valmorel for this invitation. As always these are my opinions.

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Germany: Arty Weekend in Düsseldorf

Posted on December 14, 2017 | Leave a comment

  

Day 1 : Gallery & Street Art Tour

After Berlin, Cologne and the Black Forest,  I’m on my way to Düsseldorf! As always, I’m not fully awake. And I forgot to download the app of b-europe to check in real time my train schedule. I find my buddies in the Brussels-Düsseldorf Thalys! 2h15 of laughter with cool mates (yes, it happens especially when I’m tired, lol!). And here we are at Düsseldorf station, ready to discover the city!

As soon as you arrive, I recommend you to buy the DüsseldorfCard for free public transport and discounts in museums and attractions. 

After a late lunch, we have an appointment with Klaus Rosskothen, the owner of the Pretty Portal Gallery specialized in street art artists. Photos above: on the left, a painting by the Irish artist FinDAC. And on the right, a painting by Kurnachzehn. Guided by Klaus, we discover many Street art works in the district where his gallery is located. End of the tour around 16h30-17h. Awesome overview of a less touristy Düsseldorf!

Polar temperature! Of course Brussels is not the Caribbean either, but all the team had a big shock with the cold here, lol! I go to the hotel to warm up (with a good hot shower) and get ready for dinner, we have an appointment at 18:30. 

  

Dusseldorf By Night 

Dinner at Küzert

At night everything is more beautiful, starting with this huge wheel (photo above). The team gathered again, I discovered the very lively cool atmosphere of the crowded streets of Altstadt, the old town. At Kurze Straße 18-20 is the Brauerei Kürzer, a traditional brewery on the Rhine, where we will have dinner tonight.

Outside, standing people drink glasses of beer. Ditto indoors where we sit down to eat (photos below). I like the contemporary setting, the mix of generations and genres with hipster waiters and a soundtrack for picky clubbers (with fine and demanding hearing, lol!).

Difficult for us to leave as the place was really cool! About the tasting of the beer produced by this brewery? Er, how can I tell you, I do not drink any beer, oops! But very good I enjoyed the chicken wraps. 

  

Back To The Hotel

After a long walk, we finally got back to the Hotel Friends Dusseldorf, with an awesome (Instagram) bohemian interior design of the common areas (left picture above and pictures of the photo montage below). It feels like being in Portlandia (the series) …

The + : The photogenic hotel where to have a drink, with music live and DJs sets. Located near the central station of Dusseldorf, 5 to 10 minutes walk or a bit less in tram. Very good breakfast. It feels good and friendly.

The – : the neighborhood is not reassuring at night. I didn’t like the interior design of my room (except the small modern clean bathroom). I think the common areas are the best.

Jour 2: Archi & Contemporary Art

Another Day, Another Weather

We take the new metro to the commercial complex, Kö-Bogen designed by the architect Daniel Libeskind, facing the Hofgarten Park. Great mix of modernity, heritage and nature! I’d have liked to have more time to look at all the details of the building facades and stroll in the park.

And  viisiting the Gerhy buildings… We head by foot to Altstadt, the old town. 

  

A Small Museum

A Concept

As the small group walks towards the Rheinturm, I stop at the small museum of contemporary art, opened in 2007. I liked the architecture and exhibition spaces of the KIT – Kunst im Tunnel.

Photo above: in the foreground, a composition of Rosa Sarholz. Photo below: the further you go towards the black wall of the bottom, the more the floor tends to reach the ceiling. If we want to continue to move towards the “black board” of Marcel Stahn, we must stoop more and more. I stopped when my head touched the ceiling.

On the photo montage above: photos on the left, the main exhibition hall. Photo on the right (top): a flat screen – table, where hands are exchanging photos and flipping through magazines. An art work of Fabian Ruzicka.

Then we will have a late brunch in Frida, the warm tapas bar with Mexico colors on walls. Cosy atmosphere, nice interior design and impressive salad size!

Have a Nice Weekend Everyone !

  

Photos & vidéos : © Mademoiselle Le K – Tous droits réservés.

Informations  

To make a train reservation: the website of b-europe , or the b-europe appli.

Düsseldorf Tourist Board

Related posts : DESTINATIONS & HOTEL REVIEWS

Many thanks to b-europe & the Düsseldorf Tourist Board for this lovely invitation. As always, these are

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Staycation @ The JAM Hotel

Posted on October 6, 2017 | Leave a comment

Hi Brussels!

Staycation @ The JAM Hotel

This summer, I spent a weekend in the trendiest hotel in Brussels with a friend. I heard so much about the famous terrace. And I was very curious about the interior design, rooms, comfort etc … A former art school transformed into a hotel …

So during the summer in Brussels deserted, I tested this hotspot by myself! 

  

The Room

We let our bags in the lovely simple room with two beds. One is quite unusual and serves (I guess) as an extra bed in a sort of storage (photo montage above). Clever fun design. 

Special mention for the beautiful wall shelf (left picture). The light wood contrasts with the raw concrete and small retro fan. 

The weather is very hot. Yes, (sometimes) it happens in Brussels! The small minimalist bathroom reminds me of some of my Pinterest pins. 

The Terrace

What a pleasure to discover the terrace with a little corner of greenery and the outdoor pool! We will swim the next morning after the breakfast with the swimming pool and terrace just for us.

Wow, bathing (in the shelter of the glances) in the center of Brussels with a direct view on offices! Being at the heart of urban activity without taking part! This boutique hotel has a really cool concept, architecture, decoration and location.

At The Beginning Of The Evening

The Bar

The staff at the bar is very nice. Slowly, there are more and more people and no more sits on the terrace. No problem as the huge sofa inside is extremely comfortable! With a direct view on the concrete cylinders library! Great! 

Very cool atmosphere and music, we could stay hours and hours. But we have to go dinner Place du Châtelain, because the hotel restaurant is closed. So we have no time to change clothes, we’re already super late (lol)!

Good Night!

Back to the hotel late, it’s the perfect timing for a quick photoshoot of the reception (picture above) and lobby inspired by the Russian Constructivism (picture below). 

The Breakfast

After A Short Night Of Sleep

We chatted until early morning! Then the wake-up was pretty difficult (considering I am not a morning person)! Very good breakfast followed by a long swim in the pool only for us! I laughed a lot when my friend yelled while getting in the water. She is not used to cold water!

Then we go to BOZAR, my Brussels favorite museum (go there!) for the “Yves Klein Theater of the Void” exhibition about the creative process of the artist! Awesome! Photo below : postcards of the exhibition. This museum has always an interesting program.

The interest of being in a hotel close to everything!

Photos : © Mademoiselle Le K – Tous droits réservés.

Informations  

JAM Hotel

Related articles : DESTINATIONS & HOTEL REVIEWS

Many thanks to the JAM HOTEL for this lovely stay and to Joséphine and karine! As always, these are my opinions.

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