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Weekend Unexplored: Big Corn Island, Nicaragua
Big Corn Island, situated off the Atlantic coast of Nicaragua on the Caribbean Sea, has historically been influenced more by the English than the Spanish. The locals are descendants from Miskito Indians, European pirates, British settlers, and freed slaves. Over the years, Nicaraguans from the mainland have moved to the island as well. My friends and I spent a couple of days there in March, hoping to explore the local beaches and dive sites. Listening to people speak Creole upon arrival was interesting; the language slides so easily in and out of English and Spanish with blends of words and phrases. Of course, everyone on the island understands both English and Spanish perfectly. Most have earned their income from lobster fishing, but now many are turning to tourism to bring new job opportunities.
Map of Big Island, provided by Paraiso hotel
Approximately six square miles, the island has a paved road that runs along its entire perimeter. For only 20 cordobas, or $0.70, we explored the full length of Big Corn Island by taxi cooperatives, sharing the fare with other passengers going the same direction. No seat was left empty in these vehicles. At one point, we even had one happy boy sitting in the trunk of our car! (I remember his “Ouch” spurred giggles from his family sitting in the backseat when we slowly went over speed bumps.)
Staying in one of the cabana rooms of El Paraiso, we took advantage of their daily yoga classes each morning, snorkeled around the nearby shipwrecks of Brig Bay, and sampled local dishes, like rondon (a seafood stew made with coconut), at the hotel restaurant, The Buccaneer. The Dutch owners of the hotel live right on the property and interact frequently with guests and locals, arranging tours and answering questions.
Rondon, prepared by the chef of The Buccaneer
We completed two dives on the North end of the island, touring with and renting gear from the Dos Tiburones Dive Shop. We explored local reefs in an area called la Reina de Los Buzos (Queen of the Divers), named after the statue of the Virgin Mary found at the bottom of the dive site. We paid $65 for 2 dives, splitting them up with lunch. Each dive spanned about two hours, including time on the boat getting to and from the local dive site. At La Reina de Los Buzos, we saw corals, eagle rays, schools of colorful fish, lobster, and a nurse shark.
Aside from snorkeling and diving, we spent most of our time at two beaches with opposing characteristics. Long Beach, on the southeast side of the island, is windy, breathtaking, and isolated, with waves that rumble and crash on the sand. On the other side, Picnic Center Beach, protected from wind on the southwest of the island, has soft sand and clear, calm turquoise water that is great for swimming. Many hotels and restaurants are situated on this side of the island, including the Arenas hotel, where we had delicious red snapper carpaccio for $8. With lobster fishing on the island, one can order two lobster tails at a local restaurant, like Maris Place, for only $12.
Carpaccio from Arenas hotel
Lobster tails from Mari’s Comedor
What I enjoyed most on Big Corn Island was actually the walk from Dos Tiburones to Island Bakery and Sweets after a good swim. The anticipation of deliciously baked lemon tarts, pati (spicy beef turnovers), coconut bread, and polvorones (ginger cookies) as we walked that stretch of road with its diversity of mangrove swamps on our left and golden beaches on our right made me really thankful and happy to be exactly where I was. Best of all, I had dear friends to share this memory with too.
Delicious lemon tart
Island Bakery and Sweets
For related articles, visit the TRAVEL page.
Author: Jenifer Lam
Words for Thought
Source: http://www.afabulousfete.com/
Crispy Egg Noodles with Seafood / Mi Xao Don Do Bien
A simple and impressive dish for a dinner is Mi Xao Don Do Bien or Crispy Egg Noodles with Seafood. The mix of seafood simmered with a savory sauce over a bed of crispy egg noodles is to die for. The good thing is that you can make the crispy egg noodles and prepare most of the ingredients prior to the dinner. This is a delicious and elegant dish guaranteed to be a hit at your next meal.
This recipe is rated medium in difficulty and takes 45 minutes to make 2 large servings.
Ingredients
1 package of fresh egg/ wonton noodles
½ lb of frozen squid
½ lb of scallops
½ lb of mussels
½ lb of Tiger shrimp
6 bok choy
1 cup of snap peas
1 red bell pepper
3 stalks of broccoli
1 cup of baby carrots
1 tablespoon of minced garlic
1 tablespoon of minced ginger
½ of an onion and 1 tablespoon of diced onions.
½ teaspoon of chicken bouillon powder
1 ½ teaspoon of oyster sauce
1 teaspoon of soy sauce
2 tablespoons of tapioca starch
1 cup of low sodium chicken broth
Olive oil
2 stalks of scallions (optional for garnish)
A handful of cilantro (optional for garnish)
Directions
A. Prepare the egg noodles:
Fill a medium size pot with enough oil to submerge the noodles. Heat on high.
Once the oil is hot, spread out the 1 bunch of egg noodles so that it creates a circle as it fries. You can test the oil temperature by throwing in a piece of scallion into the oil and if it starts to brown right away, the oil is hot enough. The size of your noodle round will depend on the size of your pot.
Add the fresh noodles
When the bottom portion turns golden brown which only takes a few minutes, flip the egg noodles over. When that side turns golden brown, remove from the oil and drain on a plate with a paper towel.
B. Prepare the vegetables:
Cut the baby carrots in half.
Cut the the bottom stem off of the bok choy and snap peas.
Cut the broccoli into bite size pieces.
Cut the red peppers into small pieces.
Cut half of an onion into quarters and separate the pieces.
Minced garlic and ginger so that you get 1 tablespoon of garlic and 1 tablespoon of ginger.
Diced approximately 1 tablespoon of onion and cut the scallions into 4 segments (for garnish).
C. Par-cook the vegetables:
Boil a pot of water to par-cook the vegetables. When the water comes to a boil, blanche the following:
Add the carrots and wait for a few minutes.
Next add broccoli and wait for 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the snap peas and bok choy to the pot.
After another minute, strain the vegetables and set aside.
D. Prepare the seafood:
Remove the pre-cooked mussels from the shell.
Remove the shell and the vein from the shrimps.
Set aside ½ pound of squid and rinse the scallops.
E. Cook the seafood:
Add 2-3 tablespoons of oil to a large pan (enough to coat the pan) and set the pan on high heat.
Brown 1 tablespoon of garlic, 1 tablespoon of minced ginger and 1 tablespoon of diced onions.
Sear the scallops and season with ½ teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of sugar.
Add the shrimp and squid to the pan.
Season the seafood with 1 ½ teaspoons of oyster sauce and stir.
Add mussels and 1 cup of chicken stock.
Cover the pan and allow the mixture to simmer on medium heat for 5 minutes.
While the seafood simmers, mix 2 tablespoons of tapioca starch and 4 tablespoons of water in a small bowl and set aside.
After 5 minutes, add the blanched vegetables and season with 1 teaspoon of soy sauce, ½ teaspoon of chicken bouillon powder and ½ teaspoon of sugar.
Stir to incorporate the ingredients.
Add the red peppers and onions and mix.
Add 1-2 tablespoons of tapioca water to thicken the sauce. This depends on your preferences on the thickness of the sauce.
F. Plate the dish:
Place the egg noodles on a plate.
Add a few large spoons of the seafood and vegetables onto the fried egg noodles. Drizzle enough sauce to coat the egg noodles.
For more recipes, visit our EAT page or Recipe Index.
Authors: Susan Tran and Chau Hoang
Words for Thought
Source: Etsy
Inspiration: White Office
Office is a place that many people spend majority of their day. However, most offices lack personality. I am constantly looking for inspiration and came upon a few of these black and white office interiors. There is something clean and modern about these interiors that beckons for someone to pull up and chair and start working right away. In this post, we will explore underlying furniture that makes up a black and white office.
These interiors are very simple but has personality such as witty quotes/art and personal knick knacks. It is easy and cost effective to create a white and modern office with key pieces from IKEA combined with other moderately priced furniture.
Inspiration 1
Source: http://www.lustliving.co.uk
IKEA Tobias Chair $79.00
IKEA Malm Desk $159.00
A nicer option for a white desk similiar to the inspiration is this one from West Elm though it is significantly more expensive.
West Elm Lacquer Storage Desk $1,299.00
Inspiration 2
Source: Sass and Spice
The inspiration above uses 2 of the IKEA Besta Bur desk and Ekby Alex shelves to create additional storage.
IKEA Besta Burs Desk $199.00
IKEA Ekby Alex Shelves $56.99
Source: Leifarne chair $59
The look is punctuated with the graphic black and white rug.
IKEA Stockholm Rug $199.00
Inspiration 3:
Source: Chrislovejulia.com
You can create a small office space with a small desk. The dark accent wall helps make a statement in an otherwise simple space.
CB2 Stairway White 72.5″ Desk $349.00
Crate and Barrell Sawyer Leaning Desk $179.00
Inspiration 4
Create an office nook in a small space with cabinetry. If you have a large closet, this may be an inspiration to convert that closet into an office pace. IKEA Sektion kitchen line has many different cabinet options and at different price points that can work for you.
Source: Hook on Interiors
IKEA Secktion Kitchen
For related posts, visit our DESIGN page.
Author: Chau Hoang
Featured photo: http://justinehughjones.com/
Viet Style Mango Lassi / Sinh Tố Xoài
India is known for its mango lassi while Vietnam has our version of mango smoothie too. This mango smoothie is slightly tart but is balanced by the sweetness of the condense milk and the creaminess of the yogurt. This is a great treat any time of the day.
This recipe makes 2 cups of smoothie.
Ingredients:
2 ripe mangos
¼ cup of vanilla lowfat yogurt
1 ½ cup of ice
2 tablespoons of condensed milk
1 tablespoon + ½ teaspoon of sugar (depending on the tartness or sweetness of the mango)
½ cup of milk
Directions:
Cut the mango in half while avoiding the core. Make a few cuts into the mango half so that it resembles a checker board. Use the knife and cut out the flesh.
Add the yogurt, ice, condense milk, sugar and milk to the blender and blend until you get a smooth consistency. Depending on the tartness and sweetness of the mango, you may need to add more or subtract the sugar amount.
For more recipes, visit our EAT page or Recipe Index.
Authors: Susan Tran and Chau Hoang
Words for Thought
Source: http://amoderngirlstravels.com
Hotel Review: Millennium Bailey’s Hotel (London)
I am a huge fan of BBC shows that showcase 18th century London scenery. There is something ultra romantic about the ornate mansions and row houses around the city. I can imagine the Victorian ladies with their lace parasols taking a stroll around the block.
For my trip to London, I decided to stay in a converted mansion instead of the usual hotel chains. Millennium Bailey’s Hotel came up during my search and I fell in love with the impressive 19th century London mansion that is situated in the affluent Kensington area. Let’s find out if the interior and hospitality are just as impressive.
Address: 140 Gloucester Road, London, SW7 4QH, United Kingdom
PROS:
- The hotel is perfected located for sightseeing. You can walk to the Natural History Museum, Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens and of course, the Palace.
- It is conveniently located across the London tube Gloucester Road station.
- The rooms are recently renovated and has a highly stylized decor. It conveys a the hip boutique hotel vibe.
- There are plenty of mirrors and good lighting for girls to do their makeup.
- The hair dryer is actually strong!
- The bathroom has rain shower head, a heated towel rack and CO Bigelow products.
- Customer service is prompt and efficient. Management was quick to correct my WiFi connectivity issue.
CONS:
- The room does not come with free water bottles, but it does have a tea kettle with the usual tea variety and instant coffee.
- The bathroom is very small and the sink is half the normal size. This makes it very difficult to wash your face without splashing water everywhere.
- The bed is hard for those who preferred medium to soft mattresses.
- The walls are thin and you can hear incredible amount of foot traffic outside of your door.
- Breakfast is expensive and sub par.
View from the room
FINAL HOTEL ASSESSMENT:
For our hotel’s reviews, we will provide ratings based on the following criteria:
1 (Terrible) to 5 (Excellent)
-
Cleanliness: 5
The Millennium Bailey’s hotel was spotless and lived up to our expectation for a 4 stars hotel.
-
Reviews of hotels from various sources (i.e. Trip Advisor) are accurately reflecting the current condition of the accommodation: 5
The Millennium Bailey’s Hotel received generally positive reviews on various review sites. The comments regarding improvements were in line with La Vie Partagee’s experience during our stay.
-
Hotel room description is the same as the booking information website: 3
My Standard room felt surprising larger due to the expert arrangement of the furniture and decor. I had a recently renovated room that place heavy emphasis on styling to showcase a hip boutique hotel. I appreciated the decor as it made me feel like I am in a more luxurious setting and less of your standard hotel decor. The renovated rooms are not shown on the Millennium Bailey’s hotel website or when I did a google search.
The official photos:
Reality
-
Check In Process: 4
Customer Service was friendly and speedily. The goal is to get you check in fast and to your room as possible. There are usually only 2 people at the check in desk so the speed depends on when you are checking in and out.
-
Food/Beverage Service: 2
Food was below my expectation. I pre-purchased my breakfast buffet with my hotel booking. The offerings were slim and the quality was questionable. There seems to be only a choice of toasts, scrambled eggs, dry ham, beans and a fruit platter. It was not worth the price. You are better off going across the street at the various breakfast spots and pubs for food.
-
Issue resolution from management: 4
I had issue with accessing my WiFi and they sent an IT staff right away to trouble shoot. I did not have any issues during my stay.
-
Customer Service: 4
The staff was friendly and accommodating. They performed their duties, but I did not witness anything extraordinary.
-
Spa: N/A – No spa at the hotel
OVERALL RATING: 4.0
Helpful Tips!
- If you are flying in early morning, contact the hotel to see if you can check in early. I did that and they were accommodating when I showed up at 8 am in the morning.
- There is free public WiFi at the hotel public spaces.
For more articles, visit our TRAVEL page.
Author: Thai-Anh Hoang
Featured photos and hotel photos are courtesy of Millennium Bailey’s Hotel
Vietnamese Omelette with Shitakii Mushrooms and Tofu / Trứng chiên
Italians have the frittata while Americans have the cheesy omelette for breakfast. Vietnamese have our trứng chiên which we eat with rice for lunch or dinner. This is a typical dish for any time of the day and there are many versions of it. My mom makes this filling version with shiitake mushrooms and soft tofu. It is also a great dish for vegetarians.
This recipe is rated easy and takes 30 minutes to make.
Ingredients:
1 cup of soft tofu (approx. ½ of a package)
6 shiitake mushrooms
1 stalk of leek
5 eggs
1 ¼ teaspoons of soy sauce
½ teaspoon of mushroom seasoning
⅛ teaspoon of sugar
Salt
Pepper
Directions:
Wash the shiitake mushrooms of any dirt. Squeeze all the water out of the mushrooms. Discard the stems and thinly slice the mushrooms.
Thinly diced the white portion of the leek and julienne the green part of the leek. You will need approx. 1 tablespoon of green leek for garnish.
Thinly slice the tofu and slice again to create small cubes of tofu.
In a mixing bowl, beat 5 eggs with 1 ¼ teaspoons of soy sauce and ¼ teaspoon of ground pepper.
Season the shitakki mushrooms with ½ teaspoon of mushroom seasoning, a pinch of salt, ⅛ teaspoon of ground pepper and ⅛ teaspoon of sugar.
Season the tofu with 1 teaspoon of mushroom seasoning.
Heat a medium size pan on high and thinly coat the pan with olive oil.
Saute half of white leek. Once the leeks turn golden, turn the heat to medium.
Add the mushrooms and 3 tablespoons of water. Cover the pan with the lid for approximately 30 seconds to steam.
After 2-3 minutes, add tofu and another tablespoon of water. Place the lid onto the pan for 30 seconds. Remove the lid and stir. Set the tofu and mushroom mixture aside.
Wipe down the pan with a wet paper towel. Heat the pan on high with enough oil to coat the pan. Add the remaining white leek and turn the heat to medium.
When the leek turns golden brown, add the egg batter.
Push the batter from the side into the center to allow the liquid to flow outward so the egg batter can be cooked.
Once the edges start to form, spread the tofu and mushroom evenly on top of the egg.
Cover the pan with the lid to allow for the top portion to be cooked. If the omelette is still runny, poke a few holes and allow the runny egg mixture to flow into those holes to be cooked.
The omelette is done when the egg mixture is no longer runny. Garnish with the green leek and Thai chili (optional).
Enjoy this healthy dish with rice.
FFor more recipes, visit our EAT page or Recipe Index.
La Vie Partagée 