My List for London
From swimming to sipping spritzes by the shore — here’s my personal list of things to do, see, eat, and enjoy around Lake Annecy.
From swimming to sipping spritzes by the shore — here’s my personal list of things to do, see, eat, and enjoy around Lake Annecy.
Two long city walks:
1 - The Southbank Walk - start at Westminster and walk across the Westminster Bridge. Walk along the river towards The London Eye (kids love it, and there are nice views). Keep walking and you'll pass more bridges, restaurants, art galleries, theatres, etc. You'll eventually end up in front of the Tate Modern. You can't miss it - giant smoke stack. It's an awesome inside space - pop in for free to take a look. Then cross the millennium bridge which will spit you out in front of St Paul's Cathedral.
That whole thing will take you 45 minutes to walk if you never stopped. I like it because it ticks a lot of tourist buckets: westminster abbey, parliment, big ben, the river, the southbank promenade, the tate and st paul's.
2 - Borough Market area - Borough Market is the Pike Place of London. :) Check open times before you head out. Places nearby to walk to: Shakespeare's Globe (they do a great tour), the Shard, London Bridge and Tower of London.
Favourite parks:
Hyde Park - largest park in central London - you can walk, bike, boat, etc.
Primrose Hill - (central) smaller, but pretty views and in charming neighbourhood
Hampstead Heath - (north central) huge and beautiful and/but you will definitely run into Ricky Gervais
Richmond Park - (south west London) enormous, tons of deer, great for biking
Favourite neighbourhoods for strolling, shopping, eating:
Covent Garden, Mayfair, Marylebone
Want to see a show?
Favourite museums:
The Tate Modern
The V&A
Natural History Museum (which is very close to the V&A)
The British Museum
Restaurants:
There are too many excellent places to list! If you find yourself in a particular neighbourhood, let me know and I'll find some faves.
My List for Lake Annecy
My list for Lake Annecy — where to swim, hike, shop, and eat in one of the most beautiful corners of France.
My list for Lake Annecy — where to swim, hike, shop, and eat in one of the most beautiful corners of France.
Activities on Water
Every village on the east side (best side!) of the lake has a public beach with a bar, a restaurant and a beach volleyball court. Talloires has a diving board. Menthon has a water slide. Veyrier has live music most weekends through July and August.
Jean-Louis is our guy for waterskiing and wake-surfing. He also rents paddle boats, stand up paddle boards, etc.
Wherever you are on the lake you will find opportunities for:
swimming, floating, shell collecting
stand-up paddleboarding / paddle boating
pier jumping / cliff jumping
water skiing / wake surfing / kite-surfing
Compagnie des Bateaux acts as a local ferry and also offers breakfast and dinner cruises. (I’ve never done this, so I can’t vouch for it, but they’ve been around for ages.)
You can also privately hire boats for transfers to/from Annecy or simply for cruising.
Activities on Land
For walks/hikes, use All Trails to find a hike of suitable length/difficulty. An easy/gorgeous route is Roc de Chere. Hiking to the Cascade D’Angon will leave you winded but it’s totally worth it. A great longer hike is the Mont Veyrier - Mont Baron loop. You can cut the trail in half by driving half way up the mountain. From the top you can can see Mont Blanc on one side and a panorama of Lake Annecy on the other. Truly spectacular.
Bike rentals are everywhere and easy to find, but if you’re a cycler, you may want to check out Nomad in Talloires. Biking around the entire lake takes between 2 and 5 hours depending on how many times you stop for a swim and a smoothie. And by smoothie, I mean Aperol Spritz.
Canyoning is an incredible experience. It’s not for the faint of heart, but I highly recommend it!
There’s a tennis club in every village that are open to the public. Just stop by and ask how to reserve a court.
Activities in the Air
Parapenting isn’t nearly as death-defying as it seems! Try it and you’ll be hooked. We always use Adrenaline Parapent in Menthon/Talloires.
Accrobranche (ropes course) is usually a family favourite. There’s a place in hills above Talloires, but we prefer Aravis Parc d’Adventures in Thônes. There are various levels - so if you are a weenie like me you can skip the black-belt level routes and stay closer to the ground.
Via Ferrata - This is a love-it-or-hate-it activity. Dan took the girls and thought he would love it. He was wrong! He thought he was going to die and still shudders when describing it. The girls loved it and want to do it again.
Summer Camps for Kids
We’ve been coming to Lake Annecy since the girls were little and I always put them in some sort of summer camp (stage d’été). Their favourites were: Pony Camp in Thônes, Tennis Camp in Annecy-le-Vieux and Dance Camp at Centre Artys. The soccer camp that my youngest went to is no longer running, but FC Annecy now hosts summer camps and they look great!
Shopping
Talloires has a bi-weekly arts and crafts market where you can find locally made products ranging from soaps to lamps.
Annecy has a brocante fair on the last saturday of every month.
Also in Annecy: Try the little shops along Rue de l'Île… Yes, they can be touristy and hit-or-miss, but I always get lucky. I found a gorgeous Indian block print dress that I lived in all spring. And there’s a chapellerie (hat store) which is always popular with out-of-town guests. There’s a great Vinyl and Coffee shop just out of the old town. Murmur is a nice gift shop with locally made jewellery, decor, journals and more. And of course, I always ALWAYS love a trip to Monoprix. It’s like a French Target! I especially love their pyjamas.
Skip the mall in Annecy (called the Centre Commercial)- it’s nothing special. Instead walk to Galleries Lafayette. There are several boutiques and local pop-ups that circle the department store - plus a few good casual eating spots and a climbing gym!
If outdoor gear is your thing, you’ll find most major brands in Annecy or neighboring Epagny. If luxury brands are your thing, drive to Geneva.
Restaurants
My favourites seem to change seasonally and yearly. I’m currently enjoying:
Le Pecheur: This is our local spot and a perennial favourite. It’s right on the lake, and you can watch the sunset while you wait for the waitresses to finish flirting and come serve you. They have loads of tables and the atmosphere is always fun and lively. Never disappoints. They don’t have a website or phone number though, so just turn up and wait. 10 Av. General Doyen, Veyrier-du-Lac
Haven: An excellent Ausie brunch place in Annecy.
Auberge du Lyonnais: On the canal in Annecy. Make reservations - good for a nice night out.
Chez Ingalls: A traditional French restaurant bizarrely inspired by Little House on the Prairie. It’s super weird but surprisingly elegant and the food is pretty good! We asked our server why the restaurant was themed on this random American TV Show and she said (I’m translating) “Because there used to be a chicken farm nearby.” Which is a ridiculous answer for so many reasons, but let’s go with this one: I grew up LOVING Little House on the Prairie and I’ve read all the books and watched every single episode of the TV series, including the all the specials. But if we played the word association game and you said Chicken Farm, I would never in one million years say Little House on the Prairie. And yet somehow in the middle of the French alps, there’s a restaurant that serves a Nelly Burger and has a wine cellar that’s called Le Cave de Charles.
Groceries
Honestly, I usually eat at home because you can make a world class meal with some local cheese and produce. All you really need to know is: go to a fromagerie for your cheese, go to a boulangerie for your bread and go to a live market for your produce. Stop by the local supermarket for everything else. I could write a whole book about grocery shopping in France, but I’ll leave it there for now!
Where to Stay
For years, we used VRBO and stayed in many wonderful places at various price points. I recommend staying on the east side of the lake: Veyrier-du-Lac, Menthon St Bernard or Talloires.
My favourite hotel in the area: Le Palace De Menthon. We call it the Wes Anderson Hotel and you can see why! Even if you aren’t staying there, it’s a great place to have an apéro (pre-dinner drink and nibbles).
My List for Prague
My favorite spots in Prague — where to eat, stay, listen to jazz, and wander through history.
My favorite spots in Prague — where to eat, stay, listen to jazz, and wander through history.
Restaurants
U Zlate Studne - Great restaurant with terrace overlooking Prague (Castle side of river). Need a reservation.
Kampa Park Restaurant - Castle side, on the water. Need a reservation.
Apparently best cocktails in town are at Bugsy’s Bar -
Pařížská 1068/10, 110 00 Staré Město, Czechia
Our home away from home - The Globe Bookstore & Coffeehouse
Our neighborhood pub - U Parlamentu, Valentinská 52, 110 00 Staré Město - local, not fancy!
Vegetarian czech food? It exists! Maitrea in Old Town
Lots of great sites, a few not to miss:
Jewish quarter and cemetery
The Castle
Old town square
The Mucha Museum: https://mucha.eu/
National Memorial to the Heroes Of the Heydrich terror. If interested in WWII, it’s worth a quick visit and a read of the story of “Anthropoid”. (There’s a film about it from a few years ago called Anthropoid and a great book about it called HHhH by a French author Laurent Binet).
Jazz Clubs
The Jazz Dock https://www.jazzdock.cz/en
U Malého Glena https://malyglen.cz/en/pages
Hotels
Hotel Paris (in Prague)
https://www.hotel-paris.cz/en/
The Mozart
https://www.themozart.com/
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Clubs for young people
Lucerna https://musicbar.cz/en/
Duplex: https://www.duplex.cz/
Karlovy Lazne:https://www.karlovylazne.cz/
My List for New York City
My current list for New York City — favorite restaurants, museums, and off-Broadway theatres that make the city endlessly inspiring (and delicious).
My current list for New York City — favorite restaurants, museums, and off-Broadway theatres that make the city endlessly inspiring (and delicious).
Restaurants on my list to try:
Via Carota, West Village
Soda Club, East Village
Loring Place, Greenwich Village
Shuka, Soho
Restaurants I love
Planta Queen, NoMad
Spicy Moon, West Village
ABCV, Union Square
Eataly, Madison Square Park
Ofrenda for Happy Hour, West Village
Joe’s Pizza, Union Square
Karakutta Ramen, West Village
Balthazar, Soho
Maman, Greenwich Village
Little Itally III, South of Union Square
Top Thai, West Village
Favourite Museums
The Tenement Museum
The Whitney, for the views, then walk the Highline.
The Met
The Moma
The Natural History Museum
Off Broadway Theatres
The Public
59E59
HERE Arts Center, Tribeca
New York Theatre Workshop
Cherry Lane Theatre
Signature Theatre
Playwrights Horizons
Off-Broadway (Musicals)
Joe’s Pub (at The Public)
New World Stages
The York Theatre Company
Second Stage Theater
Theatre Row
The Vineyard Theatre
My List for Paris
My running list for Paris — favorite bistros, museums, and jazz clubs, plus new spots I can’t wait to try. From crepes in the Marais to brunch by the Jardin du Luxembourg.
My running list for Paris — favorite bistros, museums, and jazz clubs, plus new spots I can’t wait to try. From crepes in the Marais to brunch by the Jardin du Luxembourg.
A few favourite restaurants:
Les Philosophes, my favourite local bistro, Marais
Miznon - vegetarian Israeli street food, Marais
Le 404 - Moroccan, in the 3rd
MaoDumpling - in the 3rd. order the eggplant
Big Love Trattoria - in the 3rd
Breizh Café - proper crêpes from Brittany, multiple locations
La Taverne De ZHAO, best noodles ever, multiple locations
The Terrace at Galleries Lafayette, casual rooftop dining, in the 9th
Treize au Jardin, amazing brunch/lunch, in the 6th, next to the park
On my list to check out:
Tekés Restaurant - Incredible!
Fellows - pasta!
Peppe Paris - best pizza in Paris?
Museums, etc:
Entertainment:
My List for Provence
A personal list of my favorite places in Provence — from hilltop villages and seaside cafés to artist retreats and books that capture the spirit of the region.
A personal list of my favorite places in Provence — from golden hilltop villages and seaside cafés to artist retreats and books that capture the spirit of the region.
VILLAGES / SMALL CITIES
Saint-Rémy-de-Provence – Van Gogh’s Provence
A lively market town with great food, art, and history. The market is on Wednesday morning. Van Gogh painted many masterpieces here while staying at Saint-Paul de Mausole Monastery, which you can visit. Consider driving (15 mins) to Les Baux-de-Provence, medieval castle ruins and an art show at Carrières de Lumières.
Gordes – The Iconic Hilltop Village
A golden-stone village perched on a hill, with cobbled streets and sweeping valley views. The market is on Tuesday morning. Don’t miss the nearby Abbaye de Sénanque and its famous lavender fields.
Lourmarin – Chic & Artsy
One of the most stylish villages in Provence, with boutique shops, art galleries, and a Renaissance château. Lourmarin’s Friday market is one of the best in the region, featuring local cheeses, olives, fresh produce, lavender products, handmade pottery, and Provençal fabrics. It’s the perfect place to pick up souvenirs!
L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue – The Venice of Provence + Antiques/Brocant
A charming town with canals, antique shops, flea markets, and a fantastic Sunday market. A great mix of Provençal charm and shopping.
Cassis – Seaside Charm & White Wine
A quaint fishing village, perfect for seafood, boat tours to the Calanques National Park, and sipping local cassis white wine. This place will feel different from all the other places on your tour because it’s on the waterfront. Gorgeous seaside town - minimally, go down to the port, have lunch in a cafe and poke around the shops. If you can swing a tour of Des Calanques, do it! If not, you can always take a 2-hour boat tour around the bay (tickets available at the port, just walk up.)
Aix-en-Provence – The Elegant Heart of Provence
The cultural and artistic hub of Provence, with beautiful boulevards, fountains, markets, and Paul Cézanne’s legacy. A perfect mix of city sophistication and Provençal charm.
Gallifet Art Gallery and Restaurant have lunch in the courtyard! (A friend of a friend owns this place! But I'm not being biased - it’s delightful.)
And of course, you must visit the Atelier de Cezanne.
ARTIST RETREATS
This place looks stunning. (20 minutes drive from St Remy)
Not technically in Provence - it’s about 3.5 hours drive from Aix - but including it here just in case it suits.
Artists Retreat In September (off peak season).
Artists Retreat In September (off peak season).
LITERARY INSPIRATION
MEMOIR / CREATIVE NONFICTION
My Life in France by Julia Child: An absolute classic—Julia Child’s memoir of her years in Paris and the birth of her love for French cooking.
Lunch in Paris: A Love Story, with Recipes by Elizabeth Bard: A charming memoir about falling in love in Paris, with incredible recipes woven throughout.
Picnic in Provence: A Memoir with Recipes by Elizabeth Bard: Sequel to Lunch in Paris—moves from Paris to a small village in Provence.
Paris Letters by Janice MacLeod: One woman's journey from the fast lane to a slow stroll in Paris.
How to Be Parisian Wherever You Are by Caroline de Maigret: A fun, irreverent guide to Parisian life, fashion, and attitude.
The Olive Farm by Carol Drinkwater: The first in a trilogy about an actress who buys an olive farm in Provence and transforms it into a new life.
At Home in France: Eating and Cooking with the French by Ann Mah: A culinary memoir of life in France, food traditions, and learning to cook like a local.
A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle: A classic! Peter and his wife move to a small village, renovate a 200 year old house and try to blend in.
NOVELS
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah: A gripping historical fiction novel about two sisters resisting the Nazi occupation in rural France and Paris.
The Paris Wife by Paula McClain: A captivating historical novel about Hadley Richardson, Ernest Hemingway’s first wife, and their whirlwind life in 1920s Paris.
Suite Française by Irene Nemirovsky: A haunting, unfinished masterpiece depicting the lives of Parisians and rural villagers during the Nazi occupation of France.
The Perfume Collector by Kathleen Tessaro: A young woman inherits a mysterious perfume legacy in Paris.
The Bhagavad Gita
You are entitled to your labour. You are not entitled to the fruits of your labour.