It was my first trip to Kyoto and I enlisted the Magical Trip tour company for guidance. I wanted to get a lay of the land for the food and beverage options in the city, so I joined the Kyoto Night Foodie Tour which met at Gion-Shijo Station. The tour was made up of three stops for food and drink. After meeting, we were quickly on the way to our first destination which was a traditional Kyoto restaurant.
This area was clearly a popular tourist destination as we made our way through a sea of people to get there. Once we entered, we took off our shoes and found our table with a lovely view of the restaurant’s atrium. Magical Trip offered a pre-arranged menu which had a decent overview of the restaurant’s food and beverage options. Actually, every single item I ate at this restaurant was just perfect! I accompanied the delicious food with a large glass of sake. Out of all the dishes I tried, I think my favorite was the oden, which is a famous Japanese dish comprised of boiled items. It doesn’t sound very exciting but in reality, it was bursting with flavor!
It was on to the next stop, but not before passing through different areas of Kyoto and learning a little bit about Japanese culture along the way. With all of the beautiful historical buildings I could imagine what it must have been like hundreds of years ago. After winding down some very narrow streets, we ended up at the second stop, which was a sushi restaurant.
Here they also had a prepared menu for the tour that had a handful of items to choose from. Overall, I thought there was a decent variety of beverages and foods to try. The sushi I ordered was enjoyable, but didn’t blow my mind.
The last stop was a stand-up bar. It was possible to get more alcohol but instead I went with the Hojicha ice cream and oolong tea for a lovely finish! If you’re unfamiliar Hojicha is a roasted green tea and makes for a delicious ice cream flavor, especially rich and creamy.
Overall, Magical Trip’s Kyoto Night Foodie Tour was quite fun! There was a decent selection of food and drinks to try, as well as some fun facts to learn. If you’re looking for a way to explore a part of Kyoto you might miss on your own, check out this tour. I can’t wait to go back to Kyoto to explore more!
It was my first trip to Kyoto and I enlisted the Magical Trip tour company for guidance. I wanted to get a lay of the land for the food and beverage options in the city, so I joined the Kyoto Night Foodie Tour which met at Gion-Shijo Station. The tour…
The C: Grill Restaurant is on the 40th floor of the Conrad Osaka Hotel. Stepping into the property was very refreshing as everything was very modern and visually appealing. I loved the high ceilings combined with the panoramic city views of Osaka from the lobby. After exiting the elevator the C: Grill Restaurant sits on the left-hand side. There’s a long hallway to the restaurant, which is beautifully lit from the bottom.
C: Grill Restaurant’s dining room was just as beautiful as the hotel’s gorgeous lobby. Tall ceilings, comfortably stylish furniture, and more panoramic-views gave a feeling of luxury.
For the evening, I was served the degustation menu as well as the accompanied wine-pairing. To get the meal started was a virgin cocktail, created table-side. It was a nice and refreshing way to begin the evening, not too sweet, just right!
The first few courses of the meal were presented incredibly well. Small and delicate pieces of art. Most were subtle in flavor, clearly we were in Japan. That being said, I loved the foie gras!
Where the meal began to get more exciting was with the Wood Grilled Shimanto Eel and Cucumber, Tamba Black Vinegar and Akegarashi. I’ve had my fair share of wonderful eel but this particular one was something extraordinary. The chef had infused a very smoky flavor into the eel which added an extra kick to this savory and delectable dish. This was definitely my favorite item of the evening!
I loved the Matcha and Lime, which was the palate cleanser that had a texture of an eye ball! Harder on the outside yet soft on the inside.
Later came the Wood Grilled Nara Yamato Wagyu Fillet, Fukuoka Kawabe Farm Vegetables and Beef Jus. I must say I was incredibly surprised with the small amount of fat in this Wagyu. That being said, it was somehow still fairly tender. I ordered a bit of salt on the side, my favorite way to eat steak.
The dessert was presented incredibly well. Known as Petits Fours, this course was comprised of three different flavors of mousse, enclosed in chocolate. A very tasty dessert. This was served with my favorite wine of the evening, Floralis Moscatel Oro from Spain. What a lovely dessert wine!
Throughout this three-hour eating marathon, the service at C: Grill was perfect. They had plenty of staff members moving about the dining room to make sure the fully-booked room was well taken care of. When it came to the food, I liked a majority of the 12 items but felt a few could have used a bit more depth. Considering the entire evening, it was indeed a positive experience at the C: Grill Restaurant at the Conrad Osaka Hotel and I was struck with how beautiful the food and the surroundings were!
The C: Grill Restaurant is on the 40th floor of the Conrad Osaka Hotel. Stepping into the property was very refreshing as everything was very modern and visually appealing. I loved the high ceilings combined with the panoramic city views of Osaka from the lobby. After exiting the elevator the…
C: Grill Restaurant Review: Fine Dining on Top of Osaka
C: Grill Restaurant Review: Fine Dining on Top of Osaka
As I travel the world, I get to see all kinds of bad behavior. Most of the time it’s loud tourists disturbing the peace of others that really used to grind my gears (my daily meditation practice helped a lot!) Something else that really lights a fire under my rump is all of the plain wasteful and unsustainable practices I witness. Unfortunately, many hotels simply don’t have the systems in place to be eco-friendly, such as using plastic bottles, come on people! Luckily, my whole life is built around minimalism and having a small footprint (my feet aren’t small.) I try to make the most out of having the least. It gets me all excited! Read more about minimalism and a lot more life changing information to better yourself in my book How to Live Abroad and Thrive with Passive Income.
Most of these should be common sense, but sometimes common sense isn’t so common so read up!
We only get this one planet, so let’s take care of it!
1. Damn planes!
Unfortunately planes are one of the worst carbon dioxide emitters out there. Apparently, flying for long distances is still better than driving, as planes require less fuel once they’re cruising. However, for shorter distances it’s better to drive. The point is to avoid flying when possible, and to take alternate modes of transport such as trains when you can.
BONUS: When you plan your extensive travels, make sure you do it in a way that you get the most efficient travel route as possible. Instead of bouncing all over the place and taking unneeded flights, try to combine everything into one shot to get the most bang for your buck and not be wasteful.
2. Single-use items = the devil
When you’re on the go, it’s quite hard to avoid using single-use items, unless you are a smarty pants and you’ve prepared in advance! The fact that you’re reading this shows that you care, so go ahead and prepare multiple-use items such as a wooden toothbrush, reusable cloth bag, metal straw, metal fork, travel mug, and a handkerchief. If you’re forced to use a single-use item, try to use it as many times as possible before ultimately recycling it.
3. Walk you sad sack!
Don’t be lazy! Once you’re in a city or place where things are relatively nearby, get a little exercise and walk. It’s way better for your physical and mental health, and you will get to experience more of your destination. Of course, you’ll also save some extra ching ching!
4. Plastic kills
Sadly, nearly everything we consume these days is in some sort of plastic packaging. To top it off, news is coming out that a lot of what we thought was being recycled, wasn’t. Therefore, it’s best to avoid plastic as much as possible from the start. This is where that reusable cloth bag will come in handy, keep it with you at all times. Another horrible one is bottled water at hotels. If the the tap water is safe to drink, drink up!
5. Stop printing
Printing boarding passes is one thing but no need if you can use an electronic ticket on your phone. Time and time again I see people that have a huge folder of printed documents for their trip because they printed their entire itineraries, boarding passes, hotel confirmations, etc. Not only is this wasting ink and paper it’s also wasting electricity. Skip the printing when possible!
6. Embrace minimalism
Minimalism is basically de-cluttering your life in a way that removes stress, making life easier to manage. Once you’ve embraced minimalism, you won’t have the urge to constantly consume new products. This will greatly reduce your carbon footprint. Before buying new, try and fix what you already have, or buy something secondhand. If it’s something you only need for a short time, consider borrowing it from a friend. Embracing minimalism is great for your mental health and if you’d like to read more about it and all of it’s benefits, read my book here.
7. Waste less water
Instead of taking long wasteful showers, shorten them up. Also, only turn on the water to half-strength to greatly reduce your water usage. Flush the toilet less (if it’s not super unpleasant) and turn off the sink in between your uses, such as brushing your teeth or doing some other sort of self-care. We need to remember that running the water is forcing a pump to work, using electricity as well as the energy required to clean the water in the first place. It can be easy to ignore all that goes on behind the scenes for the magical clean water that comes out of the tap.
8. Turn it off!
It’s sad to think how much electricity goes to waste, especially in hotels. The best thing that you can do to reduce this is to make sure you turn everything off when you leave your hotel room. When you’re out and about, also turn your phone to airplane mode to save battery for less power consumption. Life is better when you’re in the moment anyways!
9. Eat for the world
Cut back on your red meat consumption which is better for your health and will greatly reduce your carbon footprint. This doesn’t mean you have to cut it out completely, just reduce portions, and source it ethically. Eating foods that take less energy to make (basically anything that is less processed and more natural) will reduce waste.
10. Adapt to your climate
The next time you’re very cold, put on more layers of clothes. The next time you’re hot, take off some clothes. Simple but it avoids relying on the super electricity sucker that is an air conditioner or heater.
11. Waste less food
There’s so much food waste on the planet, and as you know, it took lots of energy to get the food to you in the first place. Plus, when the food you don’t eat breaks down it creates more carbon dioxide. It’s better to just eat the correct amount from the start. Do it for our planet, your waistline, and mental health because you’ll feel so much better when you eat properly.
12. Personal care optimization
Avoid personal care products that are damaging to the environment such as the ones that contain micro-beads which are tiny pieces of plastic that never biodegrade and are commonly found in face washes and even toothpaste. Stop buying personal care products that aren’t good for the planet. Almost every item has a natural alternative!
13. Recycle
This one is kind of obvious, but recycle everything that you can, whether it’s donating it, re-purposing it yourself, or sending it somewhere to be properly recycled you will reduce your carbon footprint immensely.
Conclusion
There are tons of strategies and steps that we can take to make our travel more eco-friendly. I believe these 13 strategies are the major ones to implement, but if you have more, do let me know.
If we all do our part, we can greatly improve the the state of our mother earth!
I always love my time in Singapore! So much to eat and explore! My last stay of my recent trip was at the Marina Mandarin Hotel. I was very happy to try Meritus Hotels, a brand that was new to me. I had seen the property many times and always admired its great location on my previous Singapore visits. Just a five-minute walk from my room and I was at the water’s edge. The Marina Mandarin is a luxury hotel but has a bit of a corporate-business feel. I arrived by car and was greeted at the front door where I was then escorted to my top-floor Meritus Club room for a seamless in-room check-in.
Click HERE to get a special rate at the Marina Mandarin!
On the way to the room I was flabbergasted about the massive size of the atrium in the center of the Marina Mandarin. It obviously offered a large sense of space, making it feel like I was outdoor.
The Meritus Club room had a design that fit together well, and a balcony that offered an impressive view of the Marina Bay and beyond! It was a true delight to work from the desk and enjoy the view. The Meritus Club room had everything I needed! The bed was king size and had super soft bedding. The controls for the air conditioning and lights were conveniently located bedside. There was also a Handy phone that offered some added convenience outside of the property.
Being at the top of the Marina Mandarin Hotel offered some absolutely impeccable views of Marina Bay!
There was a complimentary minibar stocked with soft drinks. I’d like to thank the Marina Mandarin Hotel staff for the lovely chocolates and cake welcome gift! Delicious!
The bathroom had both a bathtub and a shower stall. The toiletries were the higher-end variety and and smelled lovely. Overall, the Meritus Club room was great!
The Meritus Club Lounge was located on the same floor as my room, how convenient! The Meritus Club Lounge features a breakfast buffet, massive afternoon tea spread, and an evening cocktail and canapés period. The lounge is separated into multiple rooms, each with a different vibe, and one room even had its own balcony.
In the evening, they even had unlimited Häagen-Dazs ice cream which you really can’t go wrong with. A majority of the food in the Meritus Club Lounge was quite tasty, although occasionally there were some items that perhaps sat for a little bit too long and became a bit dry. During my three-day stay each visit to the lounge was a delight, and I’d like to commend the staff for doing such a great job!
I found the breakfast at the Meritus Club Lounge very good! They packed a lot into a small space and had some really special items including Japanese unagi! So good.
I also had a dinner at their Cantonese restaurant called Peach Blossoms. Long story short, the entire experience, including the atmosphere, service, food and drink were phenomenal. Read more details in this separate review article. I’d highly recommend it if you’re in Singapore!
The Marina Mandarin Hotel has access to both their large outdoor swimming pool and their fitness center on the same floor. The pool gets a lot of sun throughout the day. The fitness center is mid-sized and had everything I needed. That being said, I often chose to run outdoor and explore Singapore because of the convenient location. The Marina Mandarin does not have a steam room or sauna.
The Marina Mandarin Hotel has a lot going for it, including an exceptional location, fantastic and friendly service, quality facilities, tasty food, lovely club lounge, and more! The housekeeping staff were especially friendly, going above and beyond with a smile. Even on my late checkout day, they were happy to clean the room after breakfast. Without a doubt I can highly recommend a stay at the Marina Mandarin Hotel in Singapore as well as a meal at their Peach Blossoms restaurant! Go go go.
I always love my time in Singapore! So much to eat and explore! My last stay of my recent trip was at the Marina Mandarin Hotel. I was very happy to try Meritus Hotels, a brand that was new to me. I had seen the property many times and always…
During my recent stay at the Marina Mandarin Hotel (which you can read about in a separate article here) I had an opportunity to eat at their life-changing Peach Blossoms Restaurant! The restaurant is located in the beautiful and massive atrium of the hotel.
My first impression was positive, I was delighted with the elegance of the design. Once seated, I realized that the food and wine menus were very extensive, making options somewhat difficult because I wanted to try everything! However, this wasn’t my first rodeo, over years of experience, I knew precisely which dishes would make me most happy. To start, I chose a Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley. Then, the first food item was the barbecued meat trio combination plate. I chose crispy pork, chicken, and duck but there are a few options to choose from! Eat up meat eater! Very fantastic indeed, all items melted in my mouth.
The next course was the Braised Bird’s Nest Soup with Black Truffle in Supreme Chicken Broth, which was my favorite bird’s nest soup ever! This was no normal bird’s nest soup, this was something luxurious and very special. It was much more rich than I have had in the past. I was sad when I finished it as I became a bird’s nest soup addict!
Next up was Braised Abalone with fish maw, scallops, prawn, sea cucumber, flower mushroom, and black moss, all served in a mini-clay pot. This was another favorite of the evening, just lovely.
Another magical dish was the stir-fried vegetables including mushroom greens. So simple, yet so tasty.
For dessert I went for an order of Chilled Almond Cream served in a coconut and an order of mango purée with sago and pomelo served with lime sorbet. The Almond Cream was my favorite but both were incredible. Both desserts came with dry ice steam to add an artistic element to the meal.
I was very impressed by the Peach Blossoms Restaurant at the Marina Mandarin Hotel in Singapore. Throughout the evening not only was the food superb, but the staff did a great job at providing quality service. The interior design was very delightful as mentioned. Without a doubt, if you like Chinese food, especially Cantonese, you must visit Peach Blossoms Restaurant inside of the Marina Mandarin Hotel in Singapore! Foodgasm!
During my recent stay at the Marina Mandarin Hotel (which you can read about in a separate article here) I had an opportunity to eat at their life-changing Peach Blossoms Restaurant! The restaurant is located in the beautiful and massive atrium of the hotel. My first impression was positive, I…
Peach Blossoms Restaurant: Mind-Blowing Cantonese Food in Singapore
Peach Blossoms Restaurant: Mind-Blowing Cantonese Food in Singapore
Almost exactly three years ago today, I stayed at The St. Regis Singapore Hotel (read the amazing original article here.) It was indeed a very incredible experience, flawless from beginning to end. Now I was back again, ready to experience one of my favorite properties of all time once more. I wanted to see how it stacked up to that original perfect stay three years ago. The property’s location is next to the very famous Orchard Street in Singapore, which has everything you could ever need within a very short walking distance.
It’s like the staff were expecting me, the check-in process was smooth as silk. The lobby of The St. Regis Singapore is just as I had remembered it, grand and luxurious. Throughout the hotel there is artwork by Pablo Picasso and Fernando Botero.
I was then escorted to the memorable lift that had a seat to rest on. The rooms were just as beautiful as I remembered them! As far as room design goes, this is one of my favorites, of all time. The room is quite spacious and elegant, accented with wood. It all just fit together so well. Everything felt rich and solid, except the super soft bedding.
In the bedroom was a tasty welcome amenity which included a very lovely bottle of wine, macarons, and a fruit plate. Thank you St. Regis Singapore! I’d like to have the same desk design in my home!
The bathroom was also spectacular with a large bathtub in the middle and then a separated toilet stall and shower stall on the sides. Every single material in the bathroom was of my liking, and I’m quite hard to please when it comes to interior design. There was a spacious closet which was big enough to make into a bedroom for a child, joking folks, but it could be!
On the second floor of The St. Regis Singapore, guests will find the outdoor pool, fitness center, and spa facilities. The relaxation facilities at this property are second to none! All hotel guests have access to the incredible wet bar area which includes steam rooms, hot tubs, dry saunas, outdoor patios, rain showers, and more. I visited these relaxation areas several times throughout my stay and loved them each time. What a great place to relax!
The breakfast of The St. Regis Singapore occurs on the lobby level. The food selection is quite massive, offering both Asian and Western options. I discovered a great food combination by combining Indian pickle with dim sum, a match made in heaven. You can thank me later! Even though the breakfast was quite busy at times, the staff did a great job and the atmosphere was always gorgeous.
What makes The St. Regis brand stand out from others in the luxury space, is the fact that they have an on-call butler service. This includes ordering complimentary tea or coffee with cookies whenever you’d like or having your personal butler assist with other functions such as preparing a bubble bath.
During the stay in Singapore, I got to try a barbecue dinner at LaBrezza Italian Restaurant located poolside on the second floor. The buffet had a fairly solid selection of items focusing on meat and seafood that could be grilled outdoor. My favorite items of the evening were definitely the oysters.
The staff surprised me with a gift of macarons! Not too sweet and with perfect texture, what a delight. I tried to just eat a couple but before I knew it, they had all disappeared.
One part of the property that did change since my last visit was the property’s new event space. What a great place for hosting an event such as a wedding!
Upon my departure, I was once again offered a Bentley car transfer to my next destination. The same driver that drove me three years ago was still there doing a great job today! Treat yourself!
When it was all said and done, The St. Regis Singapore truly lived up to my first perfect review written three years ago. Still flawless, still beautiful, still well-maintained, and still offering great service. I can definitely highly recommend a stay at The St. Regis Singapore!
Almost exactly three years ago today, I stayed at The St. Regis Singapore Hotel (read the amazing original article here.) It was indeed a very incredible experience, flawless from beginning to end. Now I was back again, ready to experience one of my favorite properties of all time once more.…
The St. Regis Singapore Hotel Review: Consistent Luxury
The St. Regis Singapore Hotel Review: Consistent Luxury
