Make Music NY Concerts, June 20, Salif Keita, Tabou Combo, Lo'Jo

While London is celebrating Fete de la Musique along Exhibition Road, New York gets a warm up by hot line-up from Mali, Haiti and France with Salif Keita, Tabou Combo, Lo'Jo in a Free Concert. Lo'Jo might be the least known quantity amongst the 3 acts. Lo’Jo is a sextet...

Oysters Out in Force at Fourth Annual NYC Food Film Festival 2010

Produced in association with the James Beard Foundation and benefiting the Food Bank For New York City, the NYC Food Film Festival returns for a 4th Edition from Wednesday, June 23rd to Sunday, June 27t, 2010.The Breton in me could not fail to notice that Oysters are Out in...

Hay Festival Wales 2010, Woodstock of the Mind Opens May 27

If there is one drawback to writing as I've been doing for the past 5 plus years on 'Serge the Concierge', it is the lack of time to read books as a leisure activity.I should say fiction in my case as I receive mostly food, wine and travel related books for review.In many...

900 000 People on Champs Elysees for First Day of Nature Capitale

It was a crowded garden on a warm day.That's the comment I heard from those who joined the throngs who flocked to the Champs-Elysees on May 23, the first day of Nature Capitale.900,000 people showed up....

The Beef, 17 Dry to Juicy Questions with Mark Schatzker, Author

I gathered that the search for the holy grail, a perfect steak, runs in Mark Schatzker' s family. His father and uncle put a lot of effort into it. For his new book Steak ('One man's search for the world's tastiest piece of beef'), Mark sampled steaks the world over from...

Bush Vines and Chenin Blanc Time 6, Wines of South Africa Tasting

When the words Chenin Blanc are mentioned for most wine drinkers it brings Loire Valley wines to mind. Winemakers in South Africa are working hard to change that perception. During the Great South African Wine Show presented by Wines of South Africa on May 11, 2010 in New...

Dream Day, Champs Elysees is A Garden, Audrey's Photos Priceless

Since I am following the event from this side of the Atlantic, I went scouting various French language sites. I was lucky to find D Day – La NATURE débarque en CAPITALE by Audrey on Mince Alors! (Sunday, May 23), a photo journal of the first day of this dream garden. From...

Year of the Tiger, Chinese New Year and Valentine's Day, Feb 14

Want to make this Valentine's Day 2010 a loud and noisy one, starting with the first stages, pop the champagne or the Prosecco and light up a few firecrackers. Why? Well, February 14, 2010 is not only the day when Lovers Rock, it also happens to be the Chinese New Year. Rest...

Nose to tail a la Fergus Henderson versus Head to tail Cooking

Maybe I do not follow the international restaurant scene enough, I thought after reading about London based architect turned restaurateur Fergus Henderson and his Perfect Weekend digs.I did not know know the guy or his "nose to tail" eating-cooking philosophy which he couched...

From Prada to Zara, Is Japan's Love Affair with Luxury Goods Over

From high end single malts to fine cuisine and fashion Japan has been gaga over luxury icons for as long as I can remember so are Japanese falling out of love with luxury as Michiyo Nakamoto suggests (Financial Times, June 3, 2009). The first paragraphs of the piece outline...

No To Nobu, Save the Bluefin Tuna Celebs Like Sting Say

In his June 5, 2009 piece in The Independent, Celebrity diners say no to Nobu, Martin Hickman writes:Protesting actors, pop stars, models and socialites have started a celebrity backlash against the A-list's favourite restaurant Nobu for selling an endangered fish.Sienna...

O’Leary- Ryanair: Swine Flu Risk only to Asians, Mexicans in...

When I read in FT (April 29) the statement made in a press conference by Michael O'Leary of budget airline Ryanair that (I quote) the swine flu outbreak was a risk only to Asians and Mexicans “living in slums”, I was left wondering if I should blame his words on...