New book + Life Update

Hello there,

I really appreciate your support even though I haven't been around. The past few years have been a full-on journey with work, my new house and getting diagnosed with fibromyalgia among other things.

This blog used to be that book I never wrote, that space where I could come and write about my passions, travels, product reviews, and so on. I still remember how exciting it was setting up this blog, working on the Html for the first time, and slowly filling it with articles. It seems a lifetime ago, and I have certainly changed, my lifestyle changed but not my love for writing.

Many of you might know I have another blog, Alessias Cues, all about food and recipes. If you like that kind of thing you might want to check out my new recipe book Soups: Healing & Delicious.

50+ DELICIOUS & HEALING SOUPS THAT WILL HAVE YOU CRAVING SOUP EVERY DAY!

Soup is often thought of as boring.  I hope that this book shows how delicious and fun soup is. You don’t have to catch the flu or be on a liquid diet to enjoy it. Never underestimate the power of a bowl of soup. It can be great to warm you up on a winter day or cool you down on a hot summer night. You can serve it chunky or blend it, garnish it in so many ways and enjoy it with the most mouth-watering accompaniments. Apart from being so yummy, soup is the number one option when it comes to healing meals.

This book includes 50 soups, like broths, cold soups, pasta soups, minestrone style and so much more. The recipes are mostly vegan but can be easily turned to vegetarian. All soups are gluten-free, dairy-free and refined sugar-free. As a bonus, you will find five amazing soup accompaniments recipes, totally homemade but so very easy. And as the cherry on the cake, or shall I say the garnish on the soup, all soups come with nutritional facts.

SOUPS Healing & Delicious includes:

•     50 Healing & Delicious Soups – all super easy to prepare
•     5 Soup Accompaniments Recipes – that will complement your soups
•     Detailed nutritional Information for every soup – including calories, protein, fat, carbs as well as vitamins, minerals and other nutrients.
•     Tips on how to serve each soup
•     Suggestions on how to transform a soup into another dish
•     A one page list of the main ingredients needed to make the soups in this book

With this book you are sure to find the right soup recipe every time you are craving a bowl.

Alessia

Graz Holiday

My husband and I love Austria. I think it is because living in a small Island like Malta, which is surrounded by sea, and is very small and busy, we both feel the need to take breaks from the hectic life and immerse ourselves in a green environment. What we love most is going from town to town by train as well as exploring the big cities through their exceptional public transport. Obviously shopping and great food are always on our to do list. 

After having visited Vienna twice, and Salzburg once, we decided to explore a new town. We chose Graz, which is the second largest city in Austria after Vienna. As you will see from the images which follow, Graz is a charming city, with a mix of old and new and an atmosphere which balances perfectly traditional and youthful.

I would suggest spending between 3 to 7 days in Graz. Three to four days are enough to explore the old town while also venturing into the outskirts. Any extra days will allow you to visit nearby towns either by car or train. You can try Frohnleiten, the Open Air Museum in Stubing, the Austrian Outdoor Sculpture Museum and Bruck an der Mur.

Accomodation: 

Airbnb, Birgit's apartment right in the centre of the old town (can be a little noisy at night but you can use the ear plugs which are provided by the host).

Hotel Wiesler and Hotel Das Weitzer, both facing the River Mur.

Schlossberghotel, beneath the clock tower.

Where to eat:

Whelscher Stub'n for traditional food in the heart of Graz

Der Steier for a modern take on traditional food

Speisesaal for a scrumptious burger in an upscale yet relaxed atmosphere

Santa Catharina for good Italian food in a charming spot of the old town

Martin Auer and Cafe Tribeka for breakfast

Meszaros Macarons for macarons and desert

 

     

Shopping: If you opt to stay in the heart of the city, shops will be all around you. Make sure to visit the Kastner & Ohler shopping building.

Tips: If you are going in Summer keep in mind that mornings can be chilly but days and nights are very warm.

If you have landed in Vienna, you can take the train to Graz directly from the Airport. Search for the route Wien Flughafen to Graz on the Obb Austria website.

When you arrive in Graz, the day ticket will enable you to take all trams and buses travelling within Graz, as well as visiting the Clock Tower for free.

Keep in mind that most shops and many restaurants are closed on Sundays and public holidays. You can find open supermarkets inside Graz station, which you can reach via a 10 minutes tram ride. 

If you were to ask me what I liked most about Graz, my answer would be the following: I loved the relaxed atmosphere, the charming and upscale vibes, the great food, the beautiful architecture, the happy and friendly locals and the great views of the river Mur, the clock tower and the surroundings villages we spotted during our train journey. Would I go again? Definitely, but next time I would choose to go around Christmas.

Have you been to Graz? Are you planning to go? Share your experience in the comments below.

Alessia

Goodbye 2016. Hello 2017.

I can't believe I wrote my last post in April 2015, and is now 2017. 2016 has gone by so fast, yet I have been so sick and so busy at the same time. Sick or healthy, I want to get back to writing. I want to share with you part of my 2016 journey and my projects for 2017. 

This was supposed to be my life diary, and I don't like not having something to look back to about last year. Although 2016 has been awful in many ways, it has also been a year full of lessons learnt and accomplishments; it has definitely made me stronger and eager to do better in 2017. So goodbye 2016, and hello 2017! 

Was 2016 a good year for you?