Daily Pampering: New restaurant opens at The Landings in St. Lucia

by Tom Johansmeyer on

If you haven’t been to The Landings St. Lucia lately, the restaurant that just opened is probably worth a trip. This RockResort just threw open the doors of The Palms, which is located in the grand entrance pavilion as an extension of the open-air Viscount Lounge. The menu boasts a Caribbean flavor, not to mention sustainably produced seafood from local St. Lucian farms.

The restaurant is open Tuesday through Saturday and serves the creations of Executive Chef Richard Tonks. His menu includes potted pork and duck appetizers with pickled vegetables and potato pancakes, but what really excites me are the shredded braised lamb shanks wrapped in lettuce girolles, shallots and merlot sauce – I might book a flight just to toss that into my mouth.

And then there’s the art …

I could spend hours staring at contemporary art, and The Landings is making that pretty easy. In The Palms, the walls are adorned with the creations of local artist Llewellyn Xavier. Every piece on display in the restaurant is made from recycled materials.

With only 28 seats, this is an intimate environment and an ideal space for a meal on a romantic getaway. Be sure to take in at least one meal at The Palms when your down at The Landings.

Get your daily dose of Pampering right here.

Seek local flavor by creating a food “theme” for your travels – International travel tip

by Gadling Staff on

Find a way to link the unfamiliar with the familiar.

While honeymooning in Greece, my husband and I discovered oregano flavored potato chips at a local supermarket. Thus began our quest to seek out “locally-flavored” chips wherever we traveled — paprika chips in Hungary, Maui onion chips in Hawaii, seaweed chips in Hong Kong, jalapeno chips in Mexico…

Find your own tradition and each international visit will be both an adventure and a comfort.

Gadling TV’s Travel Talk 002: Google goes Trans-Siberian, BA Strike, Aircruises, S.F. in 24 hrs and more!

by Stephen Greenwood on


Gadling TV’s Travel Talk, episode 2 – Click above to watch video after the jump

Travel Talk is Gadling’s version of a travel show. In each episode, we’ll discuss hot travel news; share fun, useful tips for both traveling and bringing your travel experiences back home; spotlight exciting travel destinations; and much more.

In this week’s episode – we discuss Google’s new project on the Trans-Siberian Express, break down the latest looming British Airways strike, discuss Seymourpowell’s lofty Aircruise concept, and discuss the latest blunders from Ryanair and the TSA.

Bruce is back for another travel tip; we’ll also show you the best spots in San Francisco in a new segment called 24 hour turnaround and show you what it’s like to rock climb in the California Wilderness.

If you have any questions or comments about Travel Talk, you can email us at talk AT gadling DOT com.

Be sure to tune in next week, for Episode 3 of Gadling TV’s Travel Talk with special coverage of Virgin America’s Fly Girls Premiere!

Download the Show: Travel Talk – 002 (HD!!) // Travel Talk – 002 (iPod / iPhone / Zune formatted)

Subscribe via iTunes:
[iTunes] Subscribe to the Show directly in iTunes (M4V).
[RSS M4V] Add the Travel Talk feed (M4V) to your RSS aggregator and have it delivered automatically.

Links:
Moscow to Vladivostok on Google
Seymourpowell’s Aircruises (+video)

Hosts: Stephen Greenwood, Aaron Murphy-Crews, Drew Mylrea
Special guest: Bruce!
Travel Hero: Mark Beaumont

Produced, Edited, and Directed by: Stephen Greenwood, Aaron Murphy-Crews, Drew Mylrea

Music by:
Ben Rector
“Associated”
myspace.com/benrector

The Pacific
“Live In A Dream”
myspace.com/thebixbyknolls


Poll of the Week!

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Meal times can vary greatly – International travel tip

by Gadling Staff on

When dining out in some countries — like Spain for example — you need to remember that they eat their largest meal of the day around 1pm or 2pm. This meal is multiple courses and can take a long time.

If you plan on going out to a restaurant at night, you should know that many of them may be closed until 8pm or 9pm. Ten o’clock dinner times and social dining is normal in some places.

If you’re there to enjoy the night life, you can order tapas and drinks well into the early morning hours — far later than you may be used to eating at home. This isn’t a big deal; you just may need to adjust your schedule slightly to accommodate.

Eat at the public market – Dining out tip

by Gadling Staff on

Public markets are great places to find fresh, local food. From farmer’s markets in California to public markets in Chile, you can find food booths dishing up vibrant local fare. It’s one of the best ways to soak up the culture and tradition of any city or town while traveling.

It also gives you the opportunity to indulge in unusual local dishes that you may not find in restaurants. Eating at the public market is a good way to stretch your food budget, as booth food is usually extremely cheap.

Bonus: it’s usually prepared on the spot, so you’re bound to get something super-fresh!