10 FRENCH SPIRITS BY REGION

Here’s a look at 10 different French spirits and the regions that they’re from.

Yes, it’s true, France is particularly renowned and respected for its wine and Champagne. However, that doesn’t mean that the French limit their alcohol intake to just wine. Here’s a list of ten different French spirits and the regions they come from.

Whether brandy or liqueur, each is linked to its region, representing part of its identity and the local tradition. This list is by no means exhaustive, so if we failed to mention one of your favorites, let us know in the comments.

1. Armagnac

A French brandy that’s distilled from white wine, Armagnac was consumed as far back as the Middle Ages. Located in southwest France, the Armagnac wine region is in the heart of Gascony comprising the Gers, Landes and Lot-en-Garonne administrative divisions. The wine is distilled in a still and aged in oak barrels in accordance with tradition. Armagnac can be sipped as an aperitif in the form of a cocktail or served neat as an after-dinner drink, perhaps accompanied by a cigar. It is also used while cooking, particularly for a flambé or a sauce.

2. Cognac

Cognac, a neighbor of Armagnac, is another kind of brandy made from white grapes that is distilled and aged in oak barrels but produced in Charente. Their regional origin gives these two alcohols their own character, but other processes, such as distillation, also come into play. Armagnac is often distilled in a continuous Armagnacais still, while cognac is double distilled, following the Charentais distillation process.

Cognac

3. Floc de Gascogne

Floc de Gascogne is produced, unsurprisingly, in Gascogne. This aperitif wine is the perfect marriage of two-thirds grape juice and one-third Armagnac. It can be white or rosé, and served as an aperitif, a dessert wine, or perhaps as the base for a refreshing cocktail.

Eating Habits We All Should Adapt Now!

Something you might like:

• 5 Blog Posts For Embracing A More Mindful Living As A Blogger.
• Steps To A Happier Life As A Blogger
• 10 Ways To Surely Switch Off

I’m the worst when it comes to committing healthy choices for a long period of times. Instead, I choose to adapt some daily habits that help to keep myself on track without feeling like I have to work for it. If you ever struggle with adapting new habits, these tips are definitely for you:

DRINK MORE WATER.
So this might be a bit obvious for you all at this point, but it’s important to always keep reminding yourself that it’s a must. You can use this app here to track how many glasses you have a day and remind yourself to drink up!

DON’T SKIP BREAKFAST.Alright, I get it, you might be super busy in the mornings, we all are… You don’t need hours for preparing a good breakfast if you plan ahead tho. You can make something for yourself the night before or prepare some Frozen Smoothie Packs. It will only take you a few minutes to make and you can take it on the go if you’re running late.

QUIT SUGAR.Now I’m not telling you to freak out about all the sugar you find in your daily products, but you should at least try and reduce unnecessary consumption. Believe me, you don’t NEED to add sugar or syrups into your cup of coffee or tea, it really is just a bad habit. First few cups might taste weird if you never tasted sugarless caffeine, but you will get used to that sooner than you think. Same with sodas. You might think a can of your favourite drink is a must to have with your lunch, but it really isn’t. Have some water instead, you’ll feel much better about yourself!

EAT MORE GREENS.Always have some greens with your food. It can be as little as a handful of spinach on your dinner plate, but it will make a huge difference in your nutrition. If you feel like you have a trouble eating greens, you can always make delicious smoothies and add some of spinach/rockets or any other greens you have! You won’t feel the strong taste and yet you’ll still get all those vitamins!

AVOID PROCESSED FOODS.I know it seems easier and cheeper to purchase processed foods and you are absolutely right about it, but you should always double check what kind of processed food you use. For instance, pre-chopped veggies or fruits canned in their own juice are not that bad. Of course, fresh products are always the best choice. However, if you don’t have enough storage for keeping them, choose lesser of two evils and at least go with bio products. Let me state the obvious- if you don’t bring bad food to your home- you won’t eat it. Thus, next time- think twice before you buy.

Here Are The 5 Best Airlines for In-Flight Meals

Did you know?

An average person consumes 35 tons of food in a lifetime! We eat when we are happy, we eat when we are not happy and basically in just about every other situation, including our flights!

Someone who travels regularly, is always on a lookout for the airlines that serve the best food. Travellers are often disappointed with the unavailability of exciting meals onboard, but not anymore!

Here’s a rundown on the five best airline meals from across the world:

Singapore Airlines 

Specialized meals play the lead behind the meals served in Singapore Airlines flights. Since, cabin pressure changes the way our taste buds perceive taste, this particular airline tests all in-flight cuisines in a simulated pressurised cabin for hours. From post-weaning and baby meals for children to low-fat and dietary options, they make sure they cater to the hunger pangs of different customers.  All you need to do is to make a request through the airline’s ‘Book The Cook’ service, 24 hours before boarding and relish one of the best airline food.

Austrian Airlines 

Serving 9 distinct menus exclusively, ranging from Schnitzel to tapas, their DO & CO à la carte feature takes the in-flight food to a whole new level. Since there are only a limited number of DO & CO à la carte menus available per flight, always book 24 hours beforehand.

Emirates Airline

The floor-to-ceiling luxury airline serves food inspired by different destinations and has an on board lounge just to make your whole culinary experience a bit more exciting! Offering delectable food, fine wines and cocktail-lined menus, this is indeed one of the best airlines for in-flight meals.

Turkish Airlines 

The DO & CO à la carte of Turkish Airlines is an equal and powerful contender for the best airline food award. With award-winning flavours and world cuisine, the airline comes prepared to satiate all your cravings onboard. The expert flying chefs create every dish with freshly-sourced ingredients and whip up some signature dishes include shish kebab, karnıyarık, mantı, and imam bayıldı. Not just that, the airline also accommodates special dietary requirements of specific passengers on board.

Read More: Here’s All You Need to Know Before Boarding a Flight

Lufthansa Airline

A thoughtful flight that serves you according to your flying time, Lufthansa Airlines really pushes the bar when it comes to in-flight meals. Popular for serving beautifully plated meals, which are both, rich in flavour and nutrient, the airline also offers special meals for diabetics, vegetarians, people with food allergies and members following certain religious faith. If you do wish to go for a meal upgrade, various options like Mediterranean delicacies, Catch of the Day, Japanese Bento Box and Aroma of Asia are available.

In-flight meals are no longer the infamous surprise that they once were. With various airlines adopting and experimenting with different ingredients and menus, the dynamic needs of passengers are being catered to and how! Flying domestic or international, just choose your preferred meal 24 hours before boarding!

And with that, raise a toast to the 100^th year of first in-flight meal served. Cheers!

Here Are The 5 Best Airlines for In-Flight Meals

Did you know?

An average person consumes 35 tons of food in a lifetime! We eat when we are happy, we eat when we are not happy and basically in just about every other situation, including our flights!

Someone who travels regularly, is always on a lookout for the airlines that serve the best food. Travellers are often disappointed with the unavailability of exciting meals onboard, but not anymore!

Here’s a rundown on the five best airline meals from across the world:

Singapore Airlines 

Specialized meals play the lead behind the meals served in Singapore Airlines flights. Since, cabin pressure changes the way our taste buds perceive taste, this particular airline tests all in-flight cuisines in a simulated pressurised cabin for hours. From post-weaning and baby meals for children to low-fat and dietary options, they make sure they cater to the hunger pangs of different customers.  All you need to do is to make a request through the airline’s ‘Book The Cook’ service, 24 hours before boarding and relish one of the best airline food.

Austrian Airlines 

Serving 9 distinct menus exclusively, ranging from Schnitzel to tapas, their DO & CO à la carte feature takes the in-flight food to a whole new level. Since there are only a limited number of DO & CO à la carte menus available per flight, always book 24 hours beforehand.

Emirates Airline

The floor-to-ceiling luxury airline serves food inspired by different destinations and has an on board lounge just to make your whole culinary experience a bit more exciting! Offering delectable food, fine wines and cocktail-lined menus, this is indeed one of the best airlines for in-flight meals.

Turkish Airlines 

The DO & CO à la carte of Turkish Airlines is an equal and powerful contender for the best airline food award. With award-winning flavours and world cuisine, the airline comes prepared to satiate all your cravings onboard. The expert flying chefs create every dish with freshly-sourced ingredients and whip up some signature dishes include shish kebab, karnıyarık, mantı, and imam bayıldı. Not just that, the airline also accommodates special dietary requirements of specific passengers on board.

Read More: Here’s All You Need to Know Before Boarding a Flight

Lufthansa Airline

A thoughtful flight that serves you according to your flying time, Lufthansa Airlines really pushes the bar when it comes to in-flight meals. Popular for serving beautifully plated meals, which are both, rich in flavour and nutrient, the airline also offers special meals for diabetics, vegetarians, people with food allergies and members following certain religious faith. If you do wish to go for a meal upgrade, various options like Mediterranean delicacies, Catch of the Day, Japanese Bento Box and Aroma of Asia are available.

In-flight meals are no longer the infamous surprise that they once were. With various airlines adopting and experimenting with different ingredients and menus, the dynamic needs of passengers are being catered to and how! Flying domestic or international, just choose your preferred meal 24 hours before boarding!

And with that, raise a toast to the 100^th year of first in-flight meal served. Cheers!

Quebec Winter Carnival: The World’s Biggest Winter Celebration

Love to travel – check; love to party – check; going to Quebec – check! Why should you go? Because the Quebec Winter Carnival is just days away. It’s all about two weeks of partying, colourful parades and exciting outdoor games – the perfect elements to beat the ‘same old routine’ blues. From January 29^th to February 14^th 2016, Quebec will hold its annual winter celebration- the Quebec Winter Carnival- at various sites throughout the city.

The festival celebrates the magic of winters with zest and fervour and it is easy to get carried away.  Featuring a wide range of events, the carnival can be enjoyed by the entire family.  So pack up all your woolens, book your flight, find a decent hotel to stay in and get ready to create some unforgettable memories.

Bash the winter blues

One of the biggest attractions of the festival is the opening and closing ceremonies at the luxurious Ice Palace (a big attraction in itself) built at the Place Loto in Quebec. At the opening ceremony, you will get your first glimpse of Bonhomme – the carnival mascot – a huge avuncular snowman as he leads the way during the day time and night parades. The night time parades are especially well attended and showcase an amalgamation of colours, marching bands playing foot thumping music, skillful dance troupes demanding your attention and scores of floats.



The Quebecoise are famed for their easy going nature and joie de vivre; and the carnival is testimony to this attitude. So what if it’s bitterly cold? The locals care little and go all out for snowboarding and snow slides, ice hockey, dog sledding and outdoor parties. Place Desjardins turns into a massive amusement park where one minute you could be slicing through snowflakes on a giant Ferris wheel and the next, be gawking at the astounding snow sculptures. If you feel like shaking a leg, there are ‘dance igloos’ where you could dance the night away.

The perfect antidote to the jaded, clockwork lives we lead, here are some of the attractions worth attending at the Winter Carnival:

• La Brasseé du Carnaval – a micro-brewery beer festival at Place George-V, where revelers can officially get drunk on beers produced especially for the cold season
• A gigantic snow mural built to honor this year’s guest country – Russia
• The New Mr. Christie Village for kids; also the place where most adults finally realize that age is just an inconvenient number! 

With all this activity and that bone-chilling cold, you are bound to be hungry. Try your hand at Caribou – the traditional Quebecoise brew of brandy, vodka, sherry and port. The city’s restaurants offer special menus during the carnival. Here’s a list of must-try Quebecoise delicacies:

• Poutine - a messy bowlful of fries, gravy and curds
• Tire sur la Niege – Quebec’s signature taffy made with oodles of Maple syrup
• Cheese – Quebec revels in its cheeses and a must-try is the route de frommage – a cheese route for tourists.
• Tourtieré – the traditional meat pie that tastes divine

Fun, frolic, snow, lip smacking food and non-stop partying; this isn’t the world’s largest winter carnival for no reason! Come and be a part of the festivities and share your experience with us when you are back!

5 Top Christmas Travel Destinations

1. Fiji

Fiji is considered a romantic getaway so it’s a great Christmas destination for couples and young families – especially at Christmas. The Fijians party hard at this time of year, with a mixture of celebrations throughout the entire two-week period building up to New Year’s Eve. Communities come together to sing, dance and feast on “lovo” – a variety of dishes that are slow-cooked in banana leaves.

2. New York

First-timers to New York feel as though they are in a film – so you can already imagine that Christmas is a magical time to visit the city that never sleeps. And whilst you’re there, why not take a movie tour and visit the sets of iconic Christmas films including Scrooge, Elf, Home Alone 2 and Miracle on 34th Street. As you would expect from the Americans, New York has the most elaborate decorations, the most lights and the biggest displays including the Lincoln Centre lights, the Rockefeller Tree lights and Bryant Park winter village.

3. Reykjavic Iceland 

Iceland does Christmas like nowhere else; they have 26 days of Christmas, 13 Santas and an irrepressible group of Yule Lads. On top of that, the Christmas markets, ice-skating rinks on frozen ponds and the delicious offerings of Christmas buffets provide a uniquely different Christmas. And with tours to witness the white, pink, green and purple streaks in the night sky provided by the Aurora Borealis, there are no other Christmas lights in the world that compares with this natural light display.

4. Amsterdam, Netherlands

With its awe-inspiring network of canals, Amsterdam is one of the most attractive cities in the world any time of year. At Christmas, the “big village” takes on a truly magical quality that has to be experienced at least once in your lifetime – mainly due to the incredible Light Festival. In addition, you will find an endless chorus of carols, live music shows, sumptuous food, Christmas markets and romantic quality of lights shimmering on the surface of the water. If you want to experience something different this Christmas, Amsterdam is very different!

5. Prague, Czech Republic

Prague’s medieval downtown looks like something straight out of a fairytale. The cobbled streets and gothic architecture around Old Town Square bring the romanticism of Christmas to the surface. Christmas in Prague has a special vibe and is a must for the street food alone – delicious servings of Czech delicacies including deep-fried carp, the mouthwatering winter food, halušky and the sumptuous trdelník, a sweet pastry topped with cream and dressings. Prague is one of the most photogenic cities in the world – at Christmas, it’s even better.

Wherever you decide to go this Christmas, make sure you have a truly magical experience and hire a local tour guide. The locals know where to go and where to avoid – and with the bustling Christmas crowds, local knowledge is a gift.

Traveling on New Years? Try These 9 Destinations

Are you planning to ring in the new year in a new place? If so, you’re probably searching for the perfect destination to pop champagne and count down to midnight. But what constitutes the “perfect” destination? 

If you’re traveling on new years, consider these nine locales. 

New York 

If you haven’t watched the ball drop in Times Square, you’re missing out on a classic New Year’s Eve tradition. It’s crowded and noisy and messy — everything wonderful about a celebration. 

You don’t have to get down and dirty on the ground. You can book a hip room and watch the festivities from a poolside bar atop a skyscraper. Alternately, you can reserve a spot on a cruise and watch the fireworks from the harbor while you wine and dine. 

London 

Do you want to ring in the new year the English way? Head across the pond to London, where you can watch the New Year’s fireworks illuminate the famous Big Ben. While you’re there, you can tour Windsor Castle or see the sights atop a double-decker bus. 

It’ll be chilly, of course, but the jet stream helps to regulate temperatures somewhat. Be sure to bring warm clothing regardless if you’re traveling on new years.

 

Colorado 

Ah, colorful Colorado. If you’re a skiing enthusiast, you have to head out to the Midwest to ring in the new year the mile-high way. Even if you prefer not to hit the slopes, you can book a snowshoe tour of the majestic Rocky Mountains. 

Downtown Denver looks spectacular in the snow, or you can head north to towns like Estes Park or Breckenridge. You might struggle if you try to bake anything (it’s an altitude thing) but you can wake up January first to an official Denver omelet — yum! 

Arizona 

Are you convinced you won’t thaw out until July? If you live in a northern climate, why not fly south to sunny Arizona? Winter in this state is like summer everywhere else. Fairs and festivals abound throughout the region, and you’ll find a celebration catered to nearly any interest. 

If you stay in the Phoenix or Tucson metro areas, you can wear shorts and flip-flops during the day — but bring an oversized sweatshirt and snuggly socks for the evening hours. The desert cools down at night.

Auckland 

Do you want to get a jumpstart on New Year’s Eve before the rest of the world? Fly down to Auckland, New Zealand, where you’ll find a temperate climate and unbeatable scenery. 

Auckland is the heart of New Zealand’s film industry. You can tour the areas where classics movies came to life, a wonderful experience if you’re traveling on new years. 

The Caribbean 

Now that the hurricane season is a thing of the past, head to a Caribbean island to shake your winter blues this new year. You’ll find temperatures in the 80s all year, and you’ll be the envy of the office when you return with a tan. 

You can enjoy snorkeling and scuba diving or kick back on the beach. If you want a more extensive tour of the region, book a cruise to ring in 2020.

Athens 

Have you ever been to a bouzoukia or a Greek nightclub? These feature stages where bands play the traditional music of the region while the guests sing and dance along. 

The experience of camaraderie — even when you don’t speak the language — is unmatchable. Plus, you can watch the fireworks show light up the Parthenon. It’s an ethereal blend of ancient and new. 

Mt. Kilimanjaro 

If you want to climb every mountain, but you’re not sure about Everest, head to Africa. You can ring in 2020 from the top of the continent’s highest peak. While you’re there, you can view majestic animals like lions and zebras. 

Sydney

Can you imagine watching the fireworks over the famous Sydney Opera House? You might not find Nemo, but you’ll get unforgettable photographs that will make your colleagues swoon. 

Plus, you’ll ring in the new year 12 hours before the folks back in Times Square. 

Make This New Years Memorable With an Amazing Trip  

There’s nothing like travel to broaden your horizons. It’s the perfect way to start 2020.

Happy 2020

If you’re traveling on new years, try one of these destinations. You’ll have the most memorable celebration to date.