Ringing in the New Year

The London winter hasn't really eventuated, so maybe we were being a little pessimistic booking a week in Lanzarote. At the time we were motivated by my friend's recent visit which involved tracking down a Famara beach house bungalow, as seen in Broken Embraces, but we'd left it too late as all the good ones were booked out. Plan B was an all inclusive resort, the Costa Colero, which turned out to be pretty awesome (review on Trip Advisor to come...).

Anyway, it was a balmy 12 degs celcius in London over most of Christmas - and since we've been back - vs 24 degs in Lanzarote. Warm enough for the kids to swim, well, one kid as Marlo had a burst ear drum and was on antibiotics all week. The true highlight was the bonkers public art and architecture mostly influenced by Cesar Manrique - prolific and jaw droppingly awesome. You can see his work all over the island as shown here...

On a roundabout.

In the Jameos del Aqua (yes that's a bar inside a cave).

At the Mirador del Rio...

And most impressively (to me) at the Lag-O-mar residence... (also pictured top):

90% of guidebooks say the residence was designed for Omar Shariff, but a visit to the site reveals that he owned for one day having stupidly lost it in a game of Bridge to the European Bridge champion. You'd think he'd have not honoured that bet given the unfairness of the situation but no, he paid up and left it. Shame as it would've been an unbeatable party house.

If you do go, eat elsewhere first as the restaurant onsite offers up the most over-priced and pretentious food I've had the misfortune of wasting money on in ages.

German sojourn

This blog is currently less about renovation and more about my holidays. But as there's been no sign of any actual building work for some months I feel as though I should post something. Last week was spent in Germany, first in Berlin then in Munich, as I left the kids at home with Rob and went on a whistle stop tour, meeting up with two of my favourite girlfriends. (I should mention that the trip was to coincide with Depeche Mode and that seeing them in Germany is something any true fan has to do at least once).

In both cities we stayed at branches of the Motel One chain - in Berlin it was Alexanderplatz and in Munich the newly opened Sendlinger Tor. Both were unbeatable locations for being in the heart of the action, and close to the U and S bahns for adventures further afield. The decor is worth mentioning too, lots of Arne Jacobson and Castiglioni Arc lights, none of the fusty bland stuff so beloved of most chain hotels. Even better was the price - my Dutch friend balked when I suggested we try and find something for under €200 - the rooms at Motel One were only €84 a night, for both of us!

The Sendlinger Tor room was even better than the Alexanderplatz version, with a flatscreen Loewe TV, a slightly improved tap in the bathroom and more storage. Probably not so useful if you have kids (unless you can get adjoining rooms?) but definitely worth investigating if you're headed that way. Both cities are superb - cold beer, great food, good transportation (and cheap taxis) and of course, the locals go absolutely crazy for Depeche Mode. Here's a video I shot on tippy toes during the Munich gig:

French sojourn

Two years ago we had a two-week holiday to a musty old farm house in the Dordogne. It rained almost every day in August (when it's supposed to be hot) and the house was so horrid we swore we'd never go back. Friends from NYC stayed in a holiday villa in South West France last year and said we'd love it, so we decided to go with their recommendation and duly booked the house months in advance. Eventually the booking rolled around and we stayed there for the last week of May with friends, just as the weather got really hot.

Turns out our NYC friends were absolutely right, we did love it. Not only was the house done to an aesthetic standard that wasn't a million miles away from our own, but it was situated in a wooded area 10 minutes drive from a massive and virtually empty beach.

I'm blogging about it here as it was inspiring to see such a dramatic transformation in 18 months of hard graft. What was once virtually a ruin is now a modern and functional holiday home. The wet room is massive, the concrete floors keep the rooms cool and the pool is just off the kitchen so you can keep an eye on the kids while you prepare food. We BBQ'd most meals and the only thing I think I missed during our stay was a set of good chef's knives.

The many hours I've wasted searching for holiday homes in the past are behind me now, as I've found the only French villa worth re-booking. It sleeps three couples, three singles and possibly one more on the mezzanine futon, though with two families it was perfect.

For more photos, availability and pricing check out:
www.lepreauxcepes.com