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| Edited By: Maheka Mirpuri |Source: DNA |Updated: Jun 16, 2018, 03:30 AM IST
Travel has always been my inspiration as it opens up one’s mind and expands one’s horizons.
My husband and I left for London mid-May, which is my second home and always comforts me with its charm, gastronomical delights and some of the coolest hangouts. I decided to check out the newly-revamped Annabel’s in London’s posh Mayfair, which whispers understated luxury. Everything was impossibly chic — from the English chintz wallpaper to the moodily lit-up tables to the impeccable service. “I wanted to create the idea of a home within a town house that was fresh for the greatest party of the season,” says interior designer Martin Brudnizki, who has designed numerous restaurant and hotel interiors, including the Beekman in New York and Caring’s The Ivy and Sexy Fish in London. You can wear all your jewellery, your evening bag, your fur stole here. It’s party time when you walk in.
We left next day for Sicily. Our hotel Belmont Villa Sant’Andrea located in the heart of Taormina was inviting and our suite which had a terrace garden and a private balcony brightened up with pretty geraniums overlooking the garden view. It’s perfect for anyone who loves the three Ss — sun, sea and sand. You sink into a world of calm as you keep hearing the sound of the ocean. We went to Mt Etna, some vineyards and the Godfathers village there. The MT Etna is recognised by UNESCO as a World heritage site for being one of the most emblematic volcanoes in the world. We drove to a point and then went up there by the cable car.
After a magical Sicilian getaway we were now off to Monte Carlo!
As it was the Grand Prix week, everyone had flown in just to be part of this magical heaven. On our first day we had a reservation for lunch at Elsa, which serves contemporary cuisine inspired by the Riviera’s culinary history. In the night we were invited to a party at the Monaco Yatch club. With Gypsy Kings band flown in to play live and all the guests in their party attires, The Monaco Grand Prix is the one race of the year that every driver dreams of winning.We were privileged to have been invited among the select VIP guests with the best tickets ever. To see the Formula One was definitely one of the items ticked off my bucket list.
