Top 25 Bars in the World: #45 Candelaria

I had recently read about Candelaria in Drinks International Top 50 Bars of 2012. I had been a fan of their list for awhile as it had taken me to the brilliant New York bars of PDT, Death and Co, Dutch Kills and Clover Club.

When I read there were only 2 bars from Paris in the Top 50 I was a little disappointed but I set out to visit Candelaria to see what makes it the best bar in Paris (Le Bar Du Plaza Athénée is ranked 49). I visited with a friend at brunch on a Sunday as I heard they had good nibbles and specials on my favourite margaritas. The bar is in the back of a Mexican taco shop situated in the wonderful Le Marais district in the 3rd Arrondissiment. The bar is quiet and has a great feel to it. We ordered a serve of the guacamole and chips and I had a margarita of course. I couldn't fault either and really enjoyed the quiet Sunday drink. A visit at night time will need to be had to sample some of the other cocktails on the list. Overall I definitely recommend a visit even just for a quick cocktail as you walk around Le Marais.

Reims and the Champagne Region

Between the two tours of the Mumm and Moët & Chandon Champagne caves we visited the town of Reims and their amazing Notre-Dame de Reims cathedral. The cathedral replaced a previous church which was destroyed by fire in 1211. It was damaged during the first world war but restoartion began again in 1919. It is one of the largest cathedrals and I had been in and featured spectacular gothic architecture.

Afterwards we toured the city centre and then caught the bus through the Champagne vineyards to Épernay. The vineyards were speckled with amazing fall colours of red, yellows and oranges against the back drop of green. The weather was wonderful and made for a very scenic drive.

Australian Abroad and Champagne

My first day trip out of Paris was to the Champagne region to visit both the Mumm and Moët & Chandon cellars. The first stop was into the town of Riems to do the tour of the Mumm caves. The tour lasts for about an hour and includes a tasting of either their demi sec or brut champagne.

Following this it was off to Épernay to visit the Moët & Chandon caves. The tour is quite similar to the Mumm one where you watch a video followed by a tour of the caves. Moët & Chandon are a much larger wine company with over 25kilometres of caves. 

Both the tours were extremely informative. I learnt a lot about the process of making champagne as well as storage tips and food pairings. From the gift shops I also picked up a 1998 vintage magnum Mumm and 2002 vintage Moët & Chandon rose for 74 and 43euros respectively, which is a bargain. I thoroughly recommend the tours if you're a Champagne lover like myself.

Brooklyn Brewery Tour

Every Sunday the Brooklyn Brewery is open to the public for a free tour. The tour gives a run down of the beer making process as well as giving a sensory explanation of the different ingredients in beer.  While there you can also visit the beer hall and try one of their many beers. The tour is a really fun and interesting event and a great Sunday Fun Day adventure in Brooklyn.

Australian Abroad vs Food: Pittsburgh

Continuing on my Man vs Food adventures I visited two restaurants in Pittsburgh featured on the show. First stop for breakfast was to Deluca’s in the Strip District. Here I ordered the massive Moab burrito that featured a soft tortilla filled with chorizo, eggs, hot peppers, tomatoes, onions, avocado, cheddar & homefries, covered in a homemade sweet spicy sauce.

The second stop was to the famous Primanti Brothers for one of their stuffed sandwiches. Just like Adam Richman I ordered the capicola with cheese and egg. Each sandwich comes with coleslaw, tomato and French fries on the sandwich. This all but massive sandwich was a great choice and with a Iron City beer it was a perfect Pittsburgh meal.

It's a Jersey Thing: The Jersey Shore

Last Sunday we ventured down to Seaside Heights on the Jersey Shore. Seaside Heights is the popular summer vacation spot made even more famous by the MTV reality show Jersey Shore being filmed there. Below is the Shore Store where the cast work during filming as well as live in the house behind.

To get down to Seaside we took the train from Manhattan's Penn Station to Newark Penn Station and then took a New Jersey Transit bus to Tom's River. Once in Tom's River we caught a local taxi to the beach. All up it took around 3 hours in transit from start to finish and cost approximately $30.

For lunch we went to a Man Vs Food featured pizzeria on the boardwalk called Maruca's. The pizza was one of the most sweetest and amazing pizzas I have tried. They swirl the sauce on after the cheese to give it a unique flavour. And they certainly aren't small slices!

Afterwards we walked a long the boardwalk and looked at the rides and amuzements that line the area. We stopped in at a bar called Aztec's which was also featured on the Jersey Shore. Here we spent a few hours sitting in the sun and people watching. The highlight of the day was listening to the locals speak with their native New Juuerrseyy accents, which was hilarious as you had heard it on tv so many times but never in real life.

After Aztec's it was off to Atlantic City for some gambling and seafood buffet!

Atlantic City and the Jersey Shore

This weekend I will be heading down to Seaside Heights on the Jersey Shore followed by a night at Atlantic City. I'll travel down by bus as it is only 2 hours from Manhattan. Really looking forward to catching some sun, having a gamble at the Casinos and maybe even seeing some of the cast of the Jersey Shore in their natural habitat.

I have chosen to stay at the Marriott Courtyard Atlantic City. It was chosen because it was rated highly on Tripadvisor and is very close to the Boardwalk without all of the hassles of thousands of tourists at night.

Please click the link for more details on the Marriot Atlantic City Hotel. 

Public Hotel Pool at King and Grove Williamsburg.

NYC certainly isn't the normal beach or summer location most people think of. In fact in the middle of summer it can be down right revolting with the humidity and heat. Therefore, one idea is to seek out somewhere cool to relax and unwind. Thrillist has found just the place in the new pool at King and Grove Williamsburg. Unlike the Pools at SoHo House, Gansevoort Hotel and The Empire Hotel, this pool is open to the public. Their menu offers refreshing local brews on hand, warm-weather cocktails and a tidy sum of delicious eats.

The Pool At King & Grove Williamsburg
160 North 12th St; between Bedford and Berry St;
Williamsburg; 718.218.7500

New Photos of Singapore and the New York White Christmas are up!

New photos are up on the following websites. Feel free to find me on Instagram as well @australianabroad. Thanks!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/anaustralianabroad/

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