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The term 'gastropub' has been around in the UK since the early 90's. For those of you not familiar with the term, it means a restaurant in a pub and was started to reinvigorate both the pub culture, and British dining. It soon took off in America, and has now spread even further afield......to India! Monkey Bar is a very cool and quirky place in Bangalore, which has been labelled India's 'City of the Future'. There is a real casual feel to the bar, which has long wooden benches and a really chilled atmosphere. The cocktails are fantastic - the house special, served in a jar (see above), is a concotion of vodka, green mango juice, lime, cumin and salt - yum yum! They also have signature drinks of the day, which are recommended by the waiters. As for the food, there is a real mix of Indian street food (potato patties, and vada pav - a spicy vegetarian dish) alongside Asian and American classics, (such as spring rolls;...

As regular readers of my blog will know, I am a big fan of Portugal and I love to discover new places I think my followers will love. A couple of months ago, I visited a stunning beach hotel that Tatler magazine describes as the "hottest ticket this year" - a description I find hard to disagree with. Hotel Martinhal is located in the south of Portugal near the town of Sagres, in the western Algarve. Positioned within the grounds of Martinhal Beach Resort it is the first five-star property in the Sagres region; and has just 38 rooms (including two beach suites), all with private balconies or terraces with impressive ocean views. Hotel guests have full access to all the other resort facilities; but even if you're not a staying here; the staff are very welcoming if you pop in for a meal, or even just a drink. The hotel sits in a beautiful location looking onto Martinhal beach, which is large enough to still feel uncrowded in the busy summer months. It can be a w...

I'm sure anyone who has been will agree that New York City is a magical place. The first time I visited; I found it strangely familiar, because I had seen the city in hundreds of films over the years. That feeling is quite comforting in a place that could be seen as daunting with people going about their business like bustling little ants, and the city's grid system of streets (confusing at first, but easy when you know how). Before my second trip to NYC, I stumbled upon a review of a bar that sounded like it was too cool to miss - and it turned out to be exactly that!   Photo courtesy of Rare Bar & Grill As a tourist in New York you constantly spend your time looking up at the skyscrapers and monuments all over the city, but at the Rare View Rooftop Garden it's a different story. Located in the Affinia Shelburne Hotel (Lexington Avenue, between 37th & 38th St.) you get a panoramic view of the Empire State Building and the Chrysler building, and for onc...

I often think about winning the lottery (don't we all!), and where I would stay if I was lucky enough to hold the winning ticket. I'd want to get away from it all, and chill out in a special place where I could think of how to spend my money. The great thing is, I know exactly where that place is! The Lone Star - a boutique hotel, restaurant and bar on the West Coast of the Caribbean island of Barbados.  Photo courtesy of Lone Star Constructed in the 1940's, Lone Star was originally a garage - at the time, it was the only garage on the West coast that was licensed to sell petrol! In 1996, the building was sold to the present owner. The building may have been completely changed in the redevelopment, but it is still possible to make out the original name on the façade of the garage. The restaurant staff also wear mechanics’ overalls and baseball caps - a nice touch! Photo courtesy of Lone Star The hotel and restaurant sit on a s...