A little bit about our trip to Lapland… First of all, no, we did not see the Northern Lights. A bummer? Yes, but hopefully, there will be other opportunities in the future!
On Saturday, we landed (90 minutes !!! early — go FinnAir) in Helsinki and were lucky enough to have our rooms at U14 ready for a quick snooze and shower before exploring. The location was central, the staff was lovely, and the beds were infinitely comfortable. I would be happy to stay at the hotel again. #invited
I had made reservations for green-star, one-star Restaurant Grön, which was an ideal lunch (if slightly overpriced for the entire experience — check out the degustation here). We also stopped into the unassuming Kamp Bar (World’s 50 Best Discovery list) for a quick, if not particularly memorable, drink.
Next, we made our way to the train station (Uber is easy and active in Helsinki) for our overnight train to Rovaniemi. While we all thought there wouldn’t be a lot of sleep, everyone conked out for nearly 9 hours of the 12-hour journey as we made our way north. As a way of cost savings (EUR89 for a sleeper cabin), an easy way to travel, AND not spending money on a hotel during peak season, I would 10/10 do this again.
Into Rovaniemi, we struggled a bit at the Arctic Treehouse Hotel and, later, the Apukka Resort. The problems were all first-world, but in a market where guests pay 100% upfront ($$$ for peak season) with no cancellations allowed, I’d have to say my expectations weren’t met. Still, when traveling with five of my best friends, everything is inherently fun, even if just playing Jenga in a bar. I’ll be upfront and say that managing activities in Lapland requires slightly lowering expectations and A LOT of communication. Everything is unique — dog sledding, reindeer, snowmobiling — but we were all consistently reminded of just how world-class things are in Dubai.
Two excellent food finds in Roveneimi, Restaurant Gustav and Arctic Restaurant; both had lovely service and delicious food, should you find yourself in Lapland.
Today, we’ll check out and fly to Paris for a night before returning to Dubai late tomorrow (and yes, I’ll be answering the phones at K9 on Monday — dog walking is back on).
Links, please.
Looking ahead to the events around MENA W50B next year. Instagram
Ossiano* with their next collab x Pujol. Instagram
Does overindulgence make you happy? Atlantic
In defense of fine dining. The Takeout
Why do we have amuse bouche? Tasting Table
But I NEED this. MoMA
This book looks interesting. Amazon
How the Four Seasons became an incubator for Asia's best bars. VinePair
Another day, another deviled egg ornament I want. Sur La Table
Anyone for a foot-long cookie at Subway? NRN
I would like a McGold card. The Takeout
Show me all the food-related ugly sweaters. Dieline
Take a fake nap. Self
Do I need this for my office? Etsy
How restaurants are making more off of diners. The Takeout
Drinks that are red flags for bartenders. Tasting Table
Holiday Lunchables. Dieline
Too much salt. Punch
Next week? Recovery and catching up — quickly — as we get back into the race to the end of 2022.
A few days belated, but my favorite dishes of November include Chef Tala’s scallops, Chef Gregoire’s corn broth and sourdough bread, and the tomatoes at Restaurant Grön, with an honorable mention to the bread and dips at Gustav. What were your favorite dishes in November?
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C.