Category Archives: Publication

A perfect weekend in Florence

by Qin Xie | Leave a comment

Published on Yahoo Lifestyle UK & Ireland on 12th March 2014:

Florence

Many years ago when I went on my first holiday as an young adult, paid for with money earned from my first part-time job, I opted for Italy. At the time I was very much in love with Italian food, though admittedly didn’t really know anything about it.

My journey took me to Rome, Sorrento, Amalfi and was due to finish in Florence but a last minute change of plans meant that I never quite made it.

Over the years, work took me to increasingly far flung destinations like Lebanon, Dominican Republic and Tunisia. Florence, at a stone’s throw away, just sort of fell off the radar.

Read more at Yahoo!

36 world-changing travel moments

by Qin Xie | Leave a comment

Published on CNN on 7th March 2014:

Also published on CNN Espanol on 9th March 2014

Just more than a hundred and ten years ago, Orville Wright became the first human to achieve powered flight.

On a calm, December 1903 day, helped by his brother Wilbur, Orville successfully launched their flying machine, maneuvered it through the air for 120 feet, and landed it safely.

Later that same day they achieved another flight of 852 feet in 59 seconds, to start the modern air travel era.

Since then numerous inventions, discoveries and milestones have been made.

Here are a few of our favorites.

Read more at CNN

Latest London lunch: Prison food

by Qin Xie | Leave a comment

Published on CNN on 28th February 2014:

Your phone’s confiscated.

Your fingerprints are taken.

You’re going to prison.

But don’t worry, it’s just for lunch.

The Clink Charity opened its third restaurant this week inside Brixton Prison in south London.

The meals are cooked and served by actual prisoners at restaurants located inside prison walls as part of a training and qualification program to help them prepare for life on the outside.

Read more at CNN

Tuscany’s “emerging terroirs” – the new wine regions to look out for

by Qin Xie | Leave a comment

Published on Yahoo Lifestyle UK & Ireland on 28th February 2014:

Chianti Classico wines

When it comes to Tuscan wines, everyone has heard of Chianti. The big, bold and characterful Italian reds are known for their cherry and violet flavours as well as bags of acidity and tannins. What you probably didn’t know is that the region of Chianti is also split down into sub-regions such as Chianti Classico and Chianti Ruffina.

The latter is one of the regions that the Tuscan wine consortium is promoting as an emerging terroir.

Unveiled at Anteprima di Toscana recently, the emerging terroirs are intended to showcase what the region could achieve and help consumers look beyond the Super Tuscans that became infamous in the 70s and 80s.

Read more at Yahoo!

Ceredigion, a hidden gem in the heart of Wales

by Qin Xie | Leave a comment

Published on Yahoo Lifestyle UK & Ireland on 24th February 2014:

Welsh sheep

If you’ve ever craved a simpler way of life, Ceredigion is the place to go. It’s not the land of the digital detox, or that things are positively stone age; it’s just that in Ceredigion, the cottage industry is king.

All over the county are small producers – often husband and wife teams, sometimes their children too – setting up shop in their homes and living off the land as small holders. Last year, Jenny Davies, owner of the Llwynhelyg Farm Shop, gathered together a few of these producers to create a Welsh food trail.

Just by visiting a few producers, you get a real sense of how wholesome food used to be – as I found out during my recent visit.

Read more at Yahoo!