Entrance to the hotel
Following an incredible time in Paris, I spent five days in London. London is my favorite city in the world and I cherish every opportunity to spend time there. On this trip, I stayed at The Kensington Hotel, which is part of the Doyle Collection, in South Kensington. From the incredibly cozy lounge bar, to the charming Christmas decor and comfortable rooms, the hotel more than delivered. Here’s a peek inside.
During December, I snuck in a trip to Paris and London. In Paris, I spoke at prestigious Le Web Paris conference on the social business track and used my free time to enjoy the city in all of its Christmas glory. I left the United States with visions of meeting leaders in tech and social media, Parisian Christmas markets, festive lights, vin chaud (hot mulled wine) and holiday shopping. Here are a few snapshots and stories from the touristy portion of my Paris trip.
Incredible lobby chandelier
Though my arrival into Paris wasn’t as smooth as I had hoped, it all washed away the minute I stepped into the cozy Hotel le Bellechasse. Booked through a Jetsetter flash sale, this hotel also had excellent ratings on TripAdvisor and I can see why. First, it’s in a prime location, just one half of a block from the Musée d’Orsay in the trendy St. Germain neighborhood. But, what would bring me back for another stay was the Hotel le Bellechasse’s excellent service and boutique hotel charm.
While I’ve been known to whip up delicious homemade soup from scratch, time doesn’t always permit such fabulousness. So, when I’m short on time and a craving strikes for warm, hearty soup, I turn to a favorite boxed or canned variety and add a few simple ingredients to tailor it more to my tastes. My favorite trick? Taking butternut squash soup or sweet potato soup and thickening it with a few spoonfuls of 100% canned pumpkin. Then, I toss in a little cinnamon and nutmeg to taste. The end result is a rich, hearty soup that tastes almost homemade! Try this with Annie’s Reduced Sodium Butternut Squash Soup, or Trader Joe’s Sweet Potato Bisque and let me know what you think!
For more of my recipes, click here.
