Restaurant Review Bistro Casa Azul

I did a restaurant review of the @bistrocasaazul for bluntsquadtvshow while I was in New York City.This is a Mexican restaurant  in Harlem 

I met the owners ,Lou and Maria- Lou is the manager/bartender and Maria is the chef .This dynamic duo welcomed us with open arms and we felt like we knew them for years after spending the afternoon in their charming restaurant.

The decor is Mexican with a beautiful blue theme( hence the name) and traditional art, making you feel like you've visited Mexico for the day!

I tried the guacamonica which is  a twist on classic guacamole, gambas al ajillo (Gulf shrimp in Garlic and Chile Piquin sautéed in Achiote and EVOO) and delicious shrimp tacos.

You can visit them at 343 Pleasant Ave, New York.

#mexicanfood #mexicancuisine #reelsfood #restaurantreview #foodlover #coolrestaurant #harlemfood #foodielife #newyorklife #lovenyc #bluntsquadtvshow #bistrocasaazul

Maison Chablis Guest House ,Franschoek ,Cape Town ,South Africa

Review -Maison Chablis Guest House

I stayed at this charming guesthouse during a visit to Franschoek recently. You can see the Franschoek Mountains from here. I felt like I was in a painting it was so pretty.

The owner James Calderwood was the perfect host and is always concerned about the needs of his guests 
He completely changed his career 10 years ago when he acquired the property. He kept the name from the previous owners as it fits with the French theme of the town.

It is very safe and only a 5-minute walk from the town center.
The property has an undeniable French colonial flavor and I almost expected French Hugenouts to walk into the breakfast room while I was eating!

Accommodation 

The rooms are very tastefully decorated with the French theme following through mingled with the modern theme of the en-suite bathrooms 
Each room has access to WIFI which worked well as well as televisions with cable TV access.
The rooms also have airconditioning.

Garden area :

The pool area

There is a beautiful, well-maintained garden with a pool and lounge chairs where you can relax after a long day's sightseeing or if you just do not feel like going out. The beautiful flowers and water -feature enhance the tranquil environment 

Meals:

The Breakfast Room 

Scrambled eggs,bacon,mushrooms

Very excited about my food!

The only meal served here is breakfast, however, there are many restaurants in the town close by as well as a supermarket.
I thoroughly enjoyed my breakfast which was scrambled eggs, sausage, mushroom, bacon, and tomatoes with some toast.I also had some of the fresh fruit . Really delicious !!

Conclusion 

If you are looking for a romantic , quiet, peaceful accommodation that is close to the town this is a perfect spot. The service is impeccable and the breakfast was scrumptious. I loved my stay here.

Orbeliani Square Flower Market in Tbilisi,Georgia

Orbeliani square is one of my favourite places to walk to . It is so pretty
Information from The Georgian Travel Guide:It is one of the most popular places in Tbilisi. There is a small but very beautiful garden on the square, in the center of which there is a fountain. Orbeliani Square is especially famous for its flower market. Thousands of flora lovers visit the arched pavilions painted with thousands of flowers. The architecture of the XIX-XX centuries gives a special charm to these places.
Save this post so you remember to visit it on your next trip to Georgia 🥰

#orbelianisquare #flowerstagram #flowermarket #christmastree #explorepage #inspiretravel #takethetrip #reelsvideo #trendingreels #wanderlusters #femaletravelbloggers #blacktravelfeed #browngirlbloggers

Top places to visit in Cape Town ,South Africa - 1) Bo-Kaap

If you are ever in Cape Town you have to visit Bo-Kaap (lit. “above the Cape” in Afrikaans) which is formerly known as the Malay Quarter. It is a former racially segregated area, situated on the slopes of Signal Hill above the city centre.

It is the prettiest place you will find in all of South Africa but it has a really sad history. During Apartheid, the area was not bulldozed, unlike nearby District Six, however, non-Malay residents were forcibly removed in accordance with the Group Areas Act,
These houses were leased to former slaves and had to be painted white.When this rule was eventually lifted, and the slaves were allowed to buy the properties, all the houses were painted bright colours by their owners as an expression of their freedom.

Today it is a popular tourist destination where owners are encouraged to retain and rehabilitate the existing residential buildings; ensuring new developments in the area complement existing landscape
Would you like to visit it ?

#bokaap #capetown #southafrica #travelblogger #reels

Solo travel - 6 Reasons why women should do it at least once !

 My name is Nicole and I am a digital nomad who has a passion for travel.

This is quite an easy topic for me as I have been on a journey of personal growth through travel.

A few years ago I was working in an office job which I really did not like. It was full of toxicity and I was quite frustrated at the time.

I always enjoyed traveling however it was always with other people. I kept asking others to join me on trips, but even though they kept talking about doing it, they never committed.

So I decided to travel on my own. 

Traveling solo as a woman can be daunting especially if you haven't done it before. People tried very hard to scare me and put me off doing it by saying things like I may get robbed, I would not have someone to take my photos or I would just not enjoy the sights because I would not have someone to share the moment with! Yes, these are all probable reasons not to travel, but I decided not to listen to the 'noise of negativity ' and I went ahead and traveled on my own.

Here are some reasons why I think everyone should try it at least once in their lifetime.

1) TRAVELING ALONE MAKES YOU INDEPENDENT 

I have always been fairly independent, however traveling to a country where you don't understand the language can be quite daunting. This is especially true when you travel alone as you have no one to take care of you but you!  You are forced to plan, ask, focus, and understand information. I did intensive research prior to each trip which really contributed to the success of most of my trips. I pre-booked trains, thereby paying less, I checked the Google reviews of the accommodations I stayed at and if I was arriving late, I looked for hotels with free airport transfers. You become used to being able to make your own decisions and 'landing on your feet

Melbourne Station

2) SOLO TRAVEL BOOSTS CONFIDENCE 

When you travel alone and you are in a country you have never been to before you are forced to be strong. You have to talk to strangers and venture to places you have never been and this can be intimidating, however, once you are in the situation you have no choice but to be brave. Once you get into the flow of asking for help or talking to strangers it becomes easier and your self-esteem will improve.

 I agree that the idea of solo travel may be scary for some but you can do it and the sense of accomplishment you have afterward is addictive.

Leaving Gare Cornavin Central Railway Station

3) YOU BECOME MORE FLEXIBLE AND CREATIVE

Everyone will agree, life is just never simple. 

You can plan all you like but something can happen to throw a curveball to your plans. This is especially true when you travel. You may miss a plane, lose your wallet, or even get injured! Do you stop and crumble? No, you can't !! 

You HAVE to move on and be creative and make the best of your situation. I sprained my ankle on one of my trips, lost my wallet, and had incidents of encounters with rude people. I just had to change my attitude, be more open, and think of different ways of doing things. Guess what? I made it and actually had the best trips ever!

4) YOU LEARN TO APPRECIATE EVERYTHING 

When you travel you learn to appreciate everything you see so much more.

Nature, architecture, food, people, and so on can be valued at a level you never did before. Seeing wondrous sights in other countries leads to an explosion of awareness of the beauty of the world  

Luxembourg

Black Gorges -Mauritius

Eating street food in Dusseldorf 

5) MEET INTERESTING PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD

One of the more wonderful parts of travel is meeting new people from different cultures around the world!

During my travels, I have met some people that I keep in contact with, and some I have never heard of again. There is one common interest between us-the love of travel. It is amazing to meet new people from all over the globe with whom you can share moments that will forever stay in your memory

Having fun with these kids in Old Town Prague 

6) SCIENTIFIC FACT -TRAVEL MAKES YOU HAPPY

The collection of all the above reasons will produce a happier you.

It's been proven! Travel does make you happy. I can attest to this as I have personally grown from traveling. I have learned to appreciate everything I have and I am really so much happier than I was before I stepped out into the world of solo travel. 

There is something so incredible about learning to spend and enjoy time with yourself. You learn to respect your space and it is so much easier to know what your limits and boundaries are. When you travel, especially on your own, you can take in the full experience without being distracted by anyone else. I have reached the stage where I don't even want to travel with anyone unless it is to a country where it is not advised for women to travel alone.

CONCLUSION :

I always advise women to travel to a new country at least once in their lives.

This is especially true for women who have faced challenges in their lives and have lived through trauma. It will heal and you will find the strength you never knew you had. Slowly, and surely your motivation and self-image will improve and you will see the best in yourself.

HAPPY TRAVELS FROM NICOLE STEPPING OUT! 

Stay At Gravenhof Castle ,Belgium

Have you ever stayed in a castle?
I would highly recommend doing it at least once in your lifetime - it’s such an iconic experience
In the little town of Dworp , in the south of Brussels you can find the Gravenhof Castle. The gardens are beautifully maintained. The rooms were modern with WIFI, the dining room in the basement served delicious Belgian cuisine
I was really sad to hear that this wonderful place closed but I’m so happy I had the experience of staying there!
What was your favorite castle stays?

#gravenhof #kasteel #dworf #brussels🇧🇪 #belgianblogger #trendingposts #solofemaletravel #belgien #travelbloggervibes
#europeancity #belgianinfluencer

NSOS with @rentinecuador 30/7/2021

NSOS with Rut from @rentinecuador

I spoke with the amazing Rut from @rentinecuador !
She lives in Cotacachi which is located at an altitude of approximately 7933ft
It boasts a UNESCO medal for being free of illiteracy!!
It is close to the volcanoes of Imbabura and Cotacachi
The city of Cotacachi is known as the ‘Leather Capital of Ecuador’
Rut and her husband own an apartment which they rent out through @airbnb
She is also a really talented artist!
Thanks for coming on, I hope to speak to you again soon and I wish you all the best with your ventures

#ecuadortravel_ig #visitecuador #tourismecuador #trendingreelsvideo #ʀᴇᴇʟsᴠɪᴅᴇᴏ #travelbloggerlife #southamericatrip #andesmountains #solofemaletravel #gltlove