Berlin’s Großer Wannsee – Twelve kilometer long and so beautiful!

“Have you ever been on the Peacock Island,” I asked my lovelies on the weekend, while we sat on the terrace of the in 2015 reopened restaurant Wannseeterrassen  (Wannsee terraces) and enjoyed the magnificent view of the Havel and its many sailors. Of course, none of us had been, because who would be a tourist in their own city, if not foreign friends or out-of-town friendships wanted to be entertained. There was general shrug and then also a confusion with the Villa-Island Schwanenwerder. There now seemed to be needed some clarification: Less than ten minutes later we reached the pier of the ferry, which took us with a short ride on the Havel to the island.

The proud peacock accompanied by his rather pale brownish feathery partner … Fortunately, this beauty classification does not apply to us bipeds

About a hundred peacocks currently live on the Peacock Island and so it is not surprising, that we promptly ran into one after our arrival. Accompanied by his rather pale brownish feathery partner – unfairly distributed by nature, by the way – the proud peacock unfortunately still did not show us his colorful feathered fan. But then, the nature, the flora and fauna of the island is just unbelievable beautiful: In the 67 hectare landscape Park, declared in 1990 by UNESCO as a world heritage site, is a green paradise and a haven for rare plants and animal species. And the Peacock Island is also closely linked to the Brandenburg-Prussian history.

Me infront of the castle on the Peacock Island, color-matching the beautiful, blue hydrangeas

Once, the Peacock Island served the Prussian kings as a retreat, Friedrich Wilhelm II, nephew of old Fritz, let there be built an air-castle from 1794 onwards at the southwestern tip of Werder’s for himself and his mistress Wilhelmine Encke – later Countess Lichtenau. Thus, the great period of the island began, which only then really became the Peacock Island. His son Friedrich Wilhelm III. instructed the completion of the initiated landscape park in the English style. A Meierhof for milk production had been created and the cavaliers-house for noble guests with original Gothic facades was expanded. Great artists of the time such as landscape architect Peter Joseph Lenné and architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel created, with the help of the court gardener Fintelmann from the island, an artificial paradise in the 19th century. There were kangaroos, bears and a lion, shade palms and Ailanthuses, the South Sea Islander Maitay who had been summarily renamed Heinrich Wilhelm, a giant named Karl Friedrich light and dwarfs.

My favorite place on Peacock Island: The gardening

­­­­­­­­­­

And the dwarves with their very own history were the reason why I had a desire to explore the island and the history associated with it. Specifically, since I read the novel „Pfaueninsel“ (Peacock Island) by the German writer Thomas Hettche, in which the author brings the dwarf-siblings Christian and Maria Dorothea Strackon and the other mentioned figures, including the island of history, to life. A gift from my friend Christine, which I devoured in a few days and took me to another world. It is the love story of the dwarf Marie, the historic documented castle mistress, who comes as an orphan at the age of six years to the island, including dwarf brother Christian. Marie falls in love with Gustav, the nephew of the court gardener who grows up with her. Who too always loved her, but can not be with her because her smallness, her crooked legs, the flat nose and high forehead gradually made her to someone else, a stranger from another world, which is also no longer with love possible to be integrated in the emotional life of the rational, now successful man and not integrated into the always reasonable expectant age itself, the incipient Maschinenzeitalter, the industrialization. Hettche’s love story tells about the adjustment of nature, of human dignity, the nature of time and the sensitivity of the soul and the body – and not least of love in its multiple manifestations, on which traces I now walked around the island. Dipping into Marie’s world, which Thomas Hettche describes so sensitive and multifaceted in his book.

In memory of his big love Queen Luise, Prussian King Friedrich Wilhelm III. has built the Luisen Temple on the Pfaueninsel

And so we walked from the castle up to the Meierei, past the cavalier-house and picnic area where refreshments are served. My favorite part was the garden with its flowerbeds and shrubs and the rolling hills that lead down to the Havel river. Here, I want to open my picnic basket next time and just lie in the grass. And further dream myself into the world of dwarf Marie and the Prussian kings. BvH

Like a magnificent frame the trees line the view at the Wannsee

I’m waiting for the ostentatious walks and the hoarse cries of the peacock. Unfortunately, in vain!

Ballroom above the dairy (Meierei)

The facade, King Friedrich empathized like a Gothic building

MyStylery in action: Anyone at home?

Prussian Paradise

Gorgeous vistas like here to the Luisen Temple

Beautiful old barn

Old tree populations characterize the island

The Cavalier House with its historically faked Gothic facades is still inhabited today

The Peacock Island got declared a conservation area in 1924

Unesco World Heritage

A marble monument in honor of the actress Mademoiselle Rachel – a star of her time

By the way, the island is car free and smoke free. Even the carrying of bicycles and animals is prohibited here

Open this gate to the gardening …

… and the rolling hills that lead down to the Havel river

The Peacock Island is located in the Havel in the southwest of Berlin …

It goes green

… It belongs together with the palaces and parks of Sanssouci in Potsdam and the Glienicke Palace for Prussian Palaces and Gardens Foundation Berlin-Brandenburg …

… and is listed as a world heritage at UNESCO

In 1821 King Friedrich Wilhelm III. gave his garden director Peter Joseph Lenné the job to build a rose garden, a palm house and a menagerie on the site …

… And so that the rare plants and animals were not sitting on dry land, a pump house had been installed on the south bank, whose steam engine drew the floods of the Havel by voice lines in all corners of the island the following years

The rose garden

Former stable

The scent of lavender

The scent of lavender – to me, this is the scent of vacation, sun, summer

At times of the dwarf Marie not only representatives of exotic flora and fauna such as kangaroos, shade palm trees and a lion lived on the piece of land in Havelsee

On this ferry you get from the mainland to the Pfaueninsel

Before visiting the Pfaueninsel I had Lunch at the chic restaurant Wannseeterrassen

… from there you have a fantastic view to the Wannsee

Info Pfaueninsel

The island lies in the forests and waterways district Wannsee is 22 kilometers from Berlin city center and five kilometers from Potsdam away. Nestled in a complex, multi-layered historical cultural landscape, the peacock island with an area of 88 hectares, including 67 hectares of land area is designated as a nature reserve since 1924. The reserve is reported as Fauna-Flora-Habitat and part of the EU bird sanctuary. The Peacock Island is also called “Prussian paradise”.

How to get to Pfaueninsel

The Peacock Island can be reached from the center of Berlin by bus line 218 from Theodor-Heuss-Platz Underground Station through the Grunewald and continues on Wannsee S-Bahn station. Then the short ferry to the Peacock Island follows.

The post The Castle Mistress from Peacock Island appeared first on My Stylery.

Ciao, Lido!

Hardly any other place has such a longing potential as the city of Venice. Venice is the synonym for romance and mysticism, transfigured and described in literature and film. A tourist magnet that attracts millions of visitors every year, so that especially in the high season, the built on wooden poles lagoon city has long arrived at the edge of their capacity. But also in Venice there are contemplative retreats and oases of peace. One of them is the Lido. Known for the annual “Mostra internazionale d ‘arte cinematografica di Venezia” film festival, which will be held for the 75th time this year, the Lido has not really been known as a holiday destination so far. This, however, is about to change. A new beginning is planned, driven by a consortium of 21 hoteliers and business people. Unlike the rest of Venice, the Lido now relies on sustainable tourism, including alternative energies and environmental regulations as well as WWF-funded renaturation: The Lido is now green.

Morning idyll on the deserted beach. While the sand in the north of the Lido is rather dark due to the current, the beach in the southern part of the Lido is white and fine-sanded

Also at 8 o’clock in the morning the world is still fine in the Lido. The first swimmers have long pulled their tracks in the sea with the rising sun. The Adriatic Sea has 20 degrees during my visit in mid-April and is therefore surprisingly warm for the season. Two ramblers walk their dogs over the gray sand alley. Otherwise, I have the beach almost to myself. The season officially starts in May. The preparations for this have now been completed. That’s a good thing, since the winter has washed a lot of plastic surfaces and other dross to the shore.

The Venetian lion watches over everything

I walk past the legendary Grand Hotel des Bains, which has been closed since 2010 and has been waiting to be revived in its enchanted private park, just like Sleeping Beauty. On the main boulevard – the Gran Viale Santa Maria Elisabetta – around this time the first shutters are ran up. Chairs and tables are moved in front of the cafes, pasticcerias, gelaterias and bars, there is a lot of activity, the dishes clatter and there is a smell of freshly brewed espresso in the air. The Lido is like a village where everyone knows everyone: “Ciao, come stai?” The hustle and bustle has also caught the lagoon side early in the morning: Vaporetti or water taxis with commuters land or take off, because many Lidenzer work in San Marco or on the mainland.

The water taxi will take you to San Marco within ten minutes

Just a few minutes walk from the sea and lagoon lies my hotel, the Ausonia & Hungaria. A jewel of Art Deco, built in 1907 with an impressive, partly tiled façade. The Lido is known for its Art Nouveau architecture, which has been represented here since the work of the Austrian Habsburgs. Until then I knew the Gothic architecture of Venice with its Byzantine influences, but I am equally fascinated by the many Art Nouveau villas of the Lido. By the way, it is worthy to explore these architectural pearls by bike.

MyStylery on tour: The Lido can be easily explored by bike. The only twelve kilometers long island measures at the narrowest point just 300 meters, at the widest point 1.5 kilometers

By taxi – one of a total of twelve island taxis – I drive to the only golf club in Venice, the Circolo Golf Venezia in the south of the island. In the rickety Mercedes, he had already coached George Clooney and Michelle Pfeiffer over the Lido, the driver tells me proudly. Clooney, who flies by helicopter from his villa on Lake Como to the annual film festival taking place from August to September, has not yet played on the 18-hole golf course. Instead did Edward Duke of Windsor in the 1930s, while the reason for his renunciation of the English crown, the divorced American Wallis Simpson, was sitting in the luxury hotel Gritti Palace in San Marco, waiting for him. Whether the Duke was also enthusiastic about this perfectly into the landscape integrated place? Built in 1928 on the 16th-century fortifications, the golf course is flanked by mature trees and offers breathtaking views of the idyllic Lido landscape.

Insidertip: You’ll find the most popular beach Bagni Alberoni in the South of the island

From here, it is a stone’s throw to the most popular beach of the Lidenzer, the Bagni Alberoni. Nestled in the WWF under nature conservation and supervised, 30 hectares of area with dune landscapes and pine forests, the beach here is white and has fine sand. And just like in the morning I again enjoy a nearly deserted beach, look at the big ships that anchor in front of the Venetian lagoon and watch the waves. It’s hard to believe you’re here in Venice but also seemingly so far away.  BvH

View from the renatured dune landscape on beach and sea

Crumbling plaster on the facade of the former hotel legend Grand Hotel des Bains. An investor was found. Only the beginning of the extensive renovation is uncertain

Cafés, restaurants and shops line the main boulevard of the Lido, the Gran Viale

I also find the typical Venice vibe on the Lido: on my discovery tour I pass numerous bridges and canals

Vegetable shop with beautifully arranged products

Pearls of architecture

Byzantine Gothic meets Art Nouveau

Nice detail: The wooden decorations on the roof

I particularly like the rose-colored facade of Villa Anna Maria

Bridge railing in Art Deco: Beautiful!

Elegant gate with Art Deco elements

And another pearl of architecture on the Gran Viale

The baroque church of San Nicolo is located in the north of the Lido and helped the Venetians to secure the entrance to the lagoon. In the event of hostile attacks, the church bells were rung, warning the Venetians. The adjoining monastery is now the seat of the European Inter-University for Human Rights and Democratisation

At the widest part of the Lido – in the south of the island – between 1909 and 1911 the airport “Aeroporto di Venezia-Lido Giovanni Nicelli” was built in the most beautiful Art Deco, with a runway on lawn. The back then developed luxury hotels Excelsior and Grand Hotel des Bains were thus faster to reach. 1926 started the first scheduled flight from Vienna to Venice…

…praised by the BBC as the world’s most beautiful airport, the airport today is used by small private planes and helicopters

The Grande Albergo Ausonia & Hungaria is a four-star hotel restored with a love to detail…

…In the coming year, work on the building, which is under monumental protection, is scheduled to be completed. Tip: Book an treatment at the hotel’s Asian-inspired “Lanna Gaia” Spa

Being a gondolier once

I’ve always wanted to know what it’s like to maneuver a gondola. In the Nautico San Marco I get a small introduction including practical testing by experienced Gondolieri. (Bookings on Remiera San Marco). I notice: Looks easy, but requires years of training and body feeling. One leans forward slightly, while the outer arm pulls out and the inner arm leads the rudder. Got it?

View into the boat harbor of the Nautico San Marco: The boats are also used in the historic regatta “Ragata Storica”, which takes place every year in September. My “trainer” Tarsilo is one of the most successful regatta participants and has won the Ragata Storica 15 times

The golf club „Circolo Golf Venezia“:

After a round trip over the 18-hole course, you can enjoy excellent lunches in the restored red-clinker stables

The ‘Cradle’ of Venice is located on the Lido: Malamocco is not only the oldest part of Lido, it is the oldest part of Venice

Stroll through the small streets and inhale the atmosphere!

The foundations of the Relais Alberti,, today a twelve-room boutique hotel, date back to 1450. Built by the Florentine banking family Alberti, Relais Alberti, located in the center of Malamocco, is my personal highlight. For a year and a half under new management, it offers cooking classes with local dishes and ingredients from the hotel’s vegetable garden.

Elegantly furnished with partly antique Murano chandeliers: Relais Alberti

Here it also tastes the Hollywood celebrities: A dinner in the restaurant Quattro Fontane I can highly recommend. Tired heads will find a nice room in the associated hotel

The Quattro Fontane menu: beetroot, buffalo mozzarella and Parma ham…

…followed by vegetable risotto…

…and beef fillet. Simply delicious!

Buon Appetito!

The five-star hotel Excelsior has 197 rooms and suites…

…and the only hotel pool on the Lido, overlooking the sea

View from the Lido di Venezia to San Marco

Salute with a Bellini! Lido, I’ll come back

Bay the way:

Since 1932 a magnet for the public and one of the most important international film festivals: „Mostra“ – the Venice International Film Festival.

Contact Green Lido:

veneziaeilsuolido.it

Info Biennale May 26 – November 25 2018:

labiennale.org

The post Lido di Venezia, the green oasis of Venice appeared first on My Stylery.

IBIZA LOVE Series

Bougainvillea everywhere: The Hotel Atzaró in Ibiza Island

I am often asked, what is the best place to stay on Ibiza? To be honest – I have no answer to this. There are just too many great places on this fabulous island. Let me put it that way: The choice of accommodation depends largely on what you want to do on Ibiza. Party animals better choose a hotel in Ibiza town, such as the ‘Ocean Drive’ in Ibizas Marina Botafoc, which I recently introduced in MyStylery’s series IBIZA LOVE. Or you book a room with a view (to the pool side, where things are happening!) at the Hotel ‘Ushuaia Tower’. For those of you who prefer a more quiet, relaxed vacation there is only one place to stay: The „Atzaro Agroturismo“ in the heart of the Island.

View to the large pool and the Asian-inspired spa

Don’t let the word „Agroturismo“ confuse you. It stands for ecological correct tourism – in a very modern sense. No Birkenstocks or jute bags. On the contrary, the Atzaró is a luxurious, gorgeous complex in the middle of a romantic orange grove with several pools, a very good Spa – including Moroccan Haman – and an excellent gourmet restaurant, where organic balanced meals are prepared mainly with ingredients from the hotel’s garden.

The hotel lobby with fireplace

The country hotel, which was built in the Ibizan finca style, also offers meditation, yoga and Qigong in a beautiful Balinese pavilion. Here everyone can find peace and ideally to himself. Bougainvillea frame the Balinese daybeds and wrap the entire Atzaró in a heady scent.

Here the romance factor is extremely high, no wonder that the Atzaró is very popular amongst wedding couples

None of the Ibizan styled rooms with an Asian touch are alike. Some of them offer a private garden, an own terrace or a fireplace. You will love the warmth of the open fire especially on cool evenings, since the Atzaró recently welcomes guests all year and the winter temperatures cool down noticeably.

Snuggling by the fire – how cozy!

What I like best about the Atzaró, are the various daybeds and sitting areas that invite anywhere on the hotel grounds for dozing and relaxing. Here I let myself fall into the lush cushions landscape and and just dream the day away. BvH

Feasting under starlit sky: Here it is possible!

In the evening, the garden of the Atzaró is romantically illuminated and the food is served in the excellent gourmet restaurant “The Orange Tree”

Daybed with water lilies

In the Atzaró is great attention to the detail …

… with an Asian touch …

The entrance of the restaurant ‘The Orange Tree’

What a super nice pool! 43 meters long – no reason to complain

What I really enjoy: After spending an exhausting shopping spee at the nearby Hippy market of Las Dalias (IBIZA LOVE Part X) …

… I relax with a delicious chicken-salad- lunch in Atzaró’s restaurant ‘La Veranda’. Here you can also have a wonderful breakfast

Nice: Furniture and fabrics are mainly decorated in white

For eleven years, the family-run hotel pampers its guests. Atzaró has been completely renovated and modernized in 2014

The hotel’s own organic garden

Another inviting lounge area

Beautiful nature with blooming cactus

Contact Atzaró:

Carretera San Juan, km 15
Santa Eularia des Riu
Ibiza, Spain
www.atzaro.com

Featured pic by Atzaró

Merken

Merken

Merken

The post Ibiza Love: The Country Hotel Atzaró appeared first on My Stylery.

Sylt fans love the island for their harsh climate, the strong wind and the often impressive strong surf, the sea air and the gentle dunes

For many years my family and I went to Sylt in the summer holidays, the most northerly German island in the North Sea. A ritual, that was never doubted. Until we, again, spent three weeks in continuous rain and the entertainment program for our then small children started decreasing rapidly. In summer you might buy a cute bikini or Sun Spray SPF 50. But no Cashmere-hats. So in the Family Council Ibiza was decided to be the next destination. Also an island, but with 95 percent sun guarantee. As recently the invitation to a Hippie Party in Sylt lay in the postbox, I was very excited for the island and a reunion. A great party overlooking the beach of Kampen really is a highlight in the party season. And the motto Hippie is absolutely my thing. The weather forecast was indeed moderate, so I squeezed my lambskin vest in the luggage, a cool thing, which has proven itself on some Sylt Parties.

Me in my hippie party outfit. Would the hairstyle be a serious alternative?

But things turned out differently, at least weather. Bright sunshine waiting for me and the other guests. And that almost all weekend, which was marred only by a few clouds from which it dribbled a few times. But because I always have a well-stocked assortment of jackets when I go to Sylt, I was prepared for wind and rain. How starts a perfect day in Sylt? After a party night of dancing, with a late breakfast, which in my hotel, the Arosa Resort und Spa is possible until 12pm. By the way, a super rich breakfast with scrambled eggs in all variations, fruit salads and fresh waffles. The spacious spa (there is a pool overlooking the sea) is a recommendation to external guests when in the mood for a good massage or a sauna session.

The Indoor- and Outdoorpool at the hotel “Arosa Resort and Spa” in List

Many Sylt guests are regulars who come regularly across generations to the island. The dune landscape has something magical, especially in the evening in the light of the setting sun. Now in summer the heather is flowering and a purple-colored veil lies over the hills. And though the sea nagging on the coasts makes the island shrink every year, the long beaches with fine powder sand are particularly impressive. There has been written much about the island. So we know that in Sylt there is one of the most beautiful villages of Germany – Keitum, that Kampen has the highest density of millionaires, jewelers and luxury cars and the Nobel beach bar Sansibar remains one of the most popular restaurants of the Society in the south of the island.

Sansibar beach in Rantum

Sylt serves not only clichés and superlatives. Even if the Elbow Beach at the northernmost island corner with four and a half kilometers is the longest and loneliest sandy beach of Sylt. It is wonderful to explore the route from List by bicycle. 18 km (round trip) that pay off! In good weather you can see the Danish coast and with some luck whales and seals from here. Alternatively, and especially with strong wind I prefer a walk on the quieter watt-side. I love the walk from Braderup to Kampen, which is very popular with runners and riders.

The “Ellenbogen” – Elbow Beach – at the northernmost island corner with four and a half kilometers is the longest and loneliest sandy beach of Sylt

For lunch I decided for the restaurant Sturmhaube in Kampen, where Maitre Jörn Steffen recommends us the turbot. Previously a lot of Sylt oysters and a wonderful Rosé “Gris Blanc” by Bertrand – tastes like holidays. Uncomplicated it is at the beach Bistro on Buhne 16 when the delicious hamburger with truffled parmesan fries is in front of you and you have your feet in the sand. Who is more into cake, is still happy in the Kupferkanne. With the view of the mudflap-side of the island, here the mega-delicious fruit cake is served from metal-sheets.

The secret treasure is hidden in the basement of Sansibar

I spent my evenings in Sylt in the restaurant Sansibar countless times. The food is still good. This is due to gastronomy legend Herbert Seckler, his team and high professionalism. The secret treasure is hidden in the basement of Sansibar, which can be used for small celebrations. Here they store 30,000 bottles, including some rarities, worth three million euros. The lucky ones experience the red sun as it sinks into the sea – and listens to the 40s hit by Capri-Fischer. Almost too good to be true. BvH

Uncomplicated it is at the beach bistro on Buhne 16

The beach of Kampen at dusk

Warm colors and stylish stocked up tables await guests in the restaurant Sturmhaube

The Sylt oysters are served with lime, marinated red onions and pumpernickel in the Sturmhaube

Here, the fresh turbot is filleted

The Sturmhaube scores with perfect service and a nice outdoor area

Once the harsh groynes were considered effective breakwaters …

… which fragments tower life-threatening out of the water today

Prices around four million euros for houses in Kampen are not uncommon

Originally the few parking spaces on the whiskey mile (alias Strönwai) in Kampen were reserved for private luxury vehicles: Bentleys, Maseratis, Ferraris competed here for the attention of saunter vacationers. Today Kampen’s legendary mile has outclassed the rather pushy sales and PR area for car brands such as Jaguar, Volvo, Mercedes or Range Rover

Emptied champagne bottles instead of lush floral arrangements

Still Life á la Kampen: Here the customers are held at mood with champagne

Strolling through Kampen belongs to a Sylt-stay

The dune landscapes are a visual uniqueness and are under conservation

Pretty are the ancient copper-tubs on the old Delft tiles in the Kupferkanne

Homemade cheese and plum cake – of course with cream. With this I drink a Lighthouse-fruit-tea. Delicious!

“No cake is not a solution!” … True! The mega-delicious fruit cake is served from metal-sheets

Tip I:

With Airberlin direct flights to Sylt go from the following cities: Berlin, Dusseldorf, Munich, Nuremberg, Stuttgart and Dresden.

Typical Sylt are the thatched roofs of red or whitened Frisian houses …

… and always a good photo opportunity!

Tip II:

Trouble with the airline? Then contact the Mahnschreibengenerator.de. Here, every air passenger whose flight within Europe had at least three hours delay, was canceled or overbooked, can make uncomplicatedly compensation up to 600 euro at the airline assert, provided the passenger was on time at check-in.

The drive over the Hindenburgdamm (built in 1927) is both from the car and the passenger-train a highlight

Tip III:

Taffic jams and queues at the Sylt car train can easily be avoided by using the train with Deutsche Bahn. Travel time from Berlin: 5,5 hours from Hamburg: 3,5 hours.

Info Sylt:

Sylt is the largest North Frisian island with a length of 38 kilometers and the northernmost point of Germany. At its narrowest point, the North Sea island measures only 320 meters in width. But Sylt offers many superlatives, i.e. the 40-kilometer long western beach. Due to storm surges there is continuous loss of land.

The post A perfect day in Sylt appeared first on My Stylery.

Ibiza Love Part XVI

In the Bay of Es Cavallet is quieter than in the Beach Clubs at Playa Las Salinas or even the clubs on Playa d’em Bossa

Why did I actually always turn right in regularity, when the sign “Es Cavallet” appeared on the roadside of the PM 802 in Ibiza on my left? I honestly don’t know. Habit? Convenience? The believe that the Jockey Club at Playa Las Salinas was already the end of the story? Following a spontaneous inspiration, I then chose the other way and that has paid off in every respect. What I found on the beach of Es Cavallet and the Beach Club El Chiringuito, was the paradise.

The beach-chair price of 15 euros in El Chiringuito Beach Club is based on Ibiza’s price level. The luxurious daybeds are more expensive

Since Jonathan Thorogood and Olivia Fleury opened El Chiringuito in 2009 in the south of Ibiza, the Beach Club has developed into one of the hottest and most compelling high addresses of the island. Surrounded by imposing salt flats, sand dunes and turquoise water, here, the open view of the neighboring island Formentera and the old town of Eivissa reveal. The El Chiringuito is a great beach restaurant and lounge area – and in line with the beautiful scenery.

Here things are maintained well-cultivated, which also relates to the guests

Early Birds start their day here on white, cozy cushions with a breakfast, including Eggs Benedicte or Florentine. Eaten on white set tables where the bread is served in a linen bag. On the menu a whole range of breakfast classics are listed, which are comparable hard to find on the island. From 1 pm onwards Lunch is served, Mediterranean cuisine with French-Ibizan Touch. I love the bread selection to which a tapenade of tomatoes is offered. Delicious! Very good is the salad with goat cheese and walnuts, served in a wooden bowl, fresh Calamari Fritti or the spaghetti with seafood. Who wants a wine recommendation, is in best hands with sommelier Esteban Acosta. I like to try local wines and decide for the Rosé LXV Loxarel of Penedes. Gazing out to the sea I enjoy my wine and wouldn’t want to be anywhere else in this moment. BvH

We had the salad with goat cheese and walnuts as a starter …

… followed by fresh Calamari Fritti and the spaghetti with seafood …

… and the Rosé LXV Loxarel of Penedes. Just wonderful!

In El Chiringuito there is also outstanding breakfast …

Chic and casual

… for example, freshly baked rolls and croissants, homemade organic muesli, delicious pancakes with maple syrup and fresh fruits

Best Iberico ham freshly cut by the expert

Just relax!

In order for the big ones in El Chiringuito to eat in peace, there is a professional entertainment area for the little ones

How about an Apéro before lunch?

The only drawback in the Bay of Es Cavallet is the high proportion of algae in the sea. Depending on the flow sometimes more, sometimes less. But knowingly you can’t always have everything

Contact El Chiringuito:

www.elchiringuitoibiza.com

The post Ibiza Love: Beach Club El Chiringuito appeared first on My Stylery.

Ibiza Love Part XV

Why wait for bad weather? Shopping is always an option!

At current summer temperatures on my favorite island Ibiza it’s almost hard to imagine, but yes, they do exist, the uncomfortable rainy days. My suggestion for a rather suboptimal weather condition: shopping! Get in your car and on the Carretera Ibiza Sant Miquel towards Santa Gertrudis. At kilometer four lies the probably largest shopping paradise of Ibiza, the Sluiz, which was founded by its Dutch owners as a small store in 2006 in Sant Josep. Today there are 6,000 square meters retail space of colorful lifestyle assortments, from hammocks to crochet bikinis.

Also in the assortment: Spanish ceramics and basketry

Who spotted the closet or the lamp of his dreams here, does not necessarily have to own an Ibizan finca, to embellish it with the new piece of furniture. The Sluiz offers a delivery service until the domestic front door, i.a. to Germany. And since I am in love with the blue ceramic dishes, I can therefore opt for more than one. Or should I rather take the floral-printed variant? Now at the latest, my husband’s patience languishes, so I can conveniently park him at the bar of Sluiz. Here, the friendly bartender serves a cool Cerveza whilst I take important consumption decisions. Shopping makes you hungry. Therefore, there is a restaurant next to the bar, that is also a popular lunch place even for the Ibicencos, and where delicious hamburgers and homemade cakes are served.

Charging station for tired shoppers and their companions

My Tip:

Regularly, the Sluiz organizes wine tastings, on the food factory, regional products are offered and fans of the good old records should not miss the vinyl-record-fair. Dates and events can be found on the website. BvH

Here everything’s so colorful!

Contact Sluiz:

http://www.sluizibiza.com/

The white porcelain boxes now adorn my kitchen!

Info:

Mallorca travelers do not have to be sad or even rebook their holiday: The Sluiz opened in Palma in April 2016! Shop ’til you drop.

Colorful lifestyle assortments on 6,000 square meters

The turquoise lanterns also look beautiful individually

Everything for a cozy bed and a good night’s sleep can be found here

Wine, tea, spices: The culinary department has plenty to offer

Shopping paradise Sluiz: Am I in heaven?

In addition to goods from around the world, the concept store also offers its own range under the name Sluiz.Ibiza

Fashion in casual Ibiza style – for men …

… and for women

These parking signs are just hilarious – maybe a gift instead of flowers?

Decorative accessories for every living room and every taste

Bring time and don’t forget the credit card!

Bargain hunters, check it out: In San Antoni, Sluiz has an outlet, too

Everything under one roof: boutique, cafe and bar

Trademark of Sluiz are the blue cows: Buen Venuto!

The post Ibiza Love: Shop ’til you drop at Sluiz appeared first on My Stylery.

IBIZA LOVE Part XIV

In a hidden backyard the wooden spoon is swung on Sundays

The paella belongs to Spain, like the sausage belongs to Germany. A holiday in Ibiza without having eaten paella is simply unimaginable. The best paella on the island cannot be found in the hippest posh restaurant: The best of paella is in a backyard in Santa Gertrudis. Who crosses the marketplace which lies in the middle  of the picturesque town, really only has to trust his nose and follow the smell of an open fire, charcoal and fish. So at least I have discovered Kati and her paella workshop.

Round about 2pm, the customers start queuing

Every Sunday from 12 am, the energetic Spanish woman swirls around in a kind of garage. With the participation of the entire family there is being cooked pans of gigantic proportions over three open fires. Temperatures, that fuel the summer-heat additionally. A touch of rosemary is in the air, whose branches give the Mediterranean flavor. And when I watch Kati, it really seems like it’s a sweaty work. Round about 2pm, the customers, mostly Spaniards – what I always interpret as a quality – start queuing. They know each other: here a chat, there a joke.

Kati cooks: from 12 am, the backyard of her restaurant in Santa Gertrudis turns into a paella-kitchen

Kati takes the brought along vessels, pans, casserole or large buckets and filles them with the steaming Paella Mixta. So you call the traditional meat-seafood paella, of which 50 kilos go across the counter every Sunday. Cash up goes by kilo. People eat at home, where it is best eaten straight away. Because in the evening it is too heavy on the stomach, says Kati. Paella to go, a culinary pleasure of a special kind, which you should not miss! BvH

Here you can get Paella to go on Sundays since 1977. Kati prepares 50kg in total with her team

What Paella actually is:

The traditional Paella Valenciana consists of saffron-dyed rice and white meat, which is cooked including bones. Added are vegetables: grated tomato, Judías verdes (green broad beans), and Garrofó, which are large, flat white beans. Seasoned with salt, a little garlic and sprigs of rosemary, which are placed on the rice during the last minutes.

Four men are needed to carry the huge iron pans. The smells of charcoal and fire are in the air

Above three large open campfires, the traditional rice dish simmers. At 2pm onwards it’s then time for take away

A portion costs 13 Euro – about a kilogram – which can easily be shared between two people

Eaten will be at home! Buen provecho – Enjoy!

How to find the best Paella on Ibiza:

Santa Gertrudis Bar Restaurante
Carrer Venda de Fruitera, 19
07814 Santa Gertrudis de Fruitera

The post Ibiza: Where you get the best Paella ever appeared first on My Stylery.

Best of MyStylery
Ibiza Love Part III: In no particular order here are tips for an awesome stay on Ibiza

Even from outside the Giri Café looks inviting

I still remember when I drove to San Juan five years ago, a small, sleepy village in the north of Ibiza. It was early afternoon, the streets were empty, the houses and a few shops closed, the sun burnt hot – deadly silence. Only one café was open and turned out to be the rescue – to all intents and purposes.

What a great mix of materials and furniture

Towards the church situated on an idyllic place of San Juan, the Giri Café is immediately visible: in front of the door of an old, ibizan townhouse, elegant wicker furniture instead of cheap plastic chairs invite to stay and to chill. Inside the Giri Café itself you’ll find modern architecture, different, small rooms with cosy seating corners, a successful mix of materials and furniture. Great drinks and cocktails are being mixed at the bar – who would have thought that?

Good idea: The patio is optically magnified by mirrored windows

View into the kitchen: Soul-Food cooked with Love

The actual highlight – besides the extraordinarily good cuisine – is the bordering garden with additional comfy seats, daybeds and a children’s corner (in hay!), which is atmospherically illuminated in the evening. Here one will experience real holiday happiness at the latest.

Chill time: Between beds with organic vegetables there are sitting areas and daybeds

The interior partly documents that the owner of the Giri Café is Danish, as it seems pretty Nordic. Rosa came as a child through her hippie parents on the island, where she’s living with her own family for 15 years now. Everything started with a beautiful boutique-hotel, The Giri Residence. The idea of The Giri Café developed in order to host the guests appropriate. By the way Giri – el guiri – actually stands for ‘foreigner’, ‘stranger’, which Rosa – whose children grow up on Ibiza – is not at all anymore.

The Scandinavian-inspired design is reminiscent of the roots of the Danish owner

The Giri is more than only a café that offers breakfast and lunch. There, friendly staff is serving modern, Mediterranean cuisine of highest standards with fresh ingredients from the region. A lot is handpicked in the own bio garden, in which herbs, salads, strawberries, tomatoes and other vegetables and fruits are being grown. Here I like to sit with a glass of Rosé – my favourite is the “Ibiskus” – and can hardly believe my luck.  BvH

Inside the Giri Café, there are several sitting areas …

… where you can sit comfortably while enjoying Snacks and Tapas

I like the Giri Café especially in the evening …

… when the setting sun creates a special light in the garden …

… and you really want to be nowhere else

Tip:

Every Sunday San Juan transforms itself into a colourful market with live music. On the place and along the small streets handicrafts, jewellery and ceramics are being offered.

Contact The Giri Café:

Plaza Espana 5
07810 San Juan
Ibiza, Spain
(from April until October)

+ 34 971 333474

www.thegiricafe.com

The post Ibiza Love: The Giri Café appeared first on My Stylery.

Best of MyStylery
Ibiza Love Part II: In no particular order here are tips for an awesome stay on Ibiza

Not far from the old castle walls there’s the best ice cream on Ibiza: Vivi’s Creamery

Who strolls by in the “Dalt Vila” – the old town of Ibiza, should make a detour to Vivi’s Creamery. In the last summer-season Formula 1 driver Nico Rosberg and his wife Vivian opened a delightful ice-café around the corner from the old fruit market, where delicious ice cream is offered from fresh, local ingredients.

MyStylery loves Vivi’s Creamery

Is there anything better than to cool off in the summer sun with a delicious ice cream? For example, ice cream from orange blossoms, which have been collected by the Rosbergs themselves. To Nico Rosberg and his wife Ibiza is the retreat and the balance to the Formula 1 life. Others breed tomatoes – the Rosbergs fulfilled with Vivi’s Creamery their personal dream, which is named after Vivian and was designed by her. Vivian, the interior designer, created an especially pretty and stylish place in the colors of the Mediterranean.

Pretty is it inhere! On the blackboard the seasonal smoothies are offered

Required milk for the ice cream production comes from cows in Santa Gertrudis, but there are also varieties of soya or rice milk

Ice cream fans can create their own menu on a special cold stone: vanilla ice cream with fresh apples, caramel sauce, walnuts or marshmallows etc. In addition, Italian coffee classics are offered, from espresso to iced coffee. For the health conscious, the menu has a selection of smoothies – always according to the motto: everything is fresh and seasonal, like the watermelon-ice-cream in the summer – yummy!

Nice advice included: I choose my favorites Cocos and Chocolate

I sit relaxed on one of the turquoise wooden chairs in front of Vivi’s Creamery enjoying the view of the historic castle walls of Ibiza and the best ice cream on the island.  BvH

This is where to request individual ice creations with various ingredients such as nuts, nut brittle or Marshmallows

Tip:

Who passes by ten times and shows the sweet-designed customer loyalty card, get a medium portion on the house. Incidentally, also at the dependance of Vivi‘s Creamery in “Lips Beach Club” at Cala d’en Bossa.

Contact Vivi’s Creamery:

Calle del Maestro
Juan Mayans 6
Mercado VIEJO – Ibiza

Featured pic by Ibiza Style Magazin

The post Ibiza Love: Vivi’s Creamery appeared first on My Stylery.