by Dee | Oct 8, 2018 | Featured, Travel
We had been in Croatia for several days exploring Dubrovnik and some of the local coastal villages, and we were nearing the end of our stay.
We asked Ivo, our brilliant host where he would recommend for us to go for our last day, and he suggested that he take us to Cavtat, further along the coast.
Cavtat was all that we had been promised, a perfect Croatian coastal town, full of great architecture, shops and with a splendid beach, with sun loungers and shades to ensure the comfort of the visitors. We learned that it had originally been a resort for very wealthy Croatians and an inspirational town for artists, before being discovered as a holiday destination, although still relatively unspoiled.
We spent an hour or so exploring, and as we were having a coffee at one of the small café bars, Ivo asked us if we wanted to see a more rural village and visit a restaurant for lunch, owned by an old school friend and his family.
As you can imagine, the ultimate holiday dream was about to come true as we set off along winding country roads completely off the beaten track, towards the little village of Ljuta, in the protected landscape of the river by the same name.
Ivo had booked a riverside table at Konoba Vinica Monkovic www.konobavinica.com, the amazing restaurant he had recommended, and as we sat down we were greeted warmly by relatives and staff who immediately brought us liqueurs, a speciality from the grandmother of the family. We tasted two in small glasses as we suspected their strength, one resembled a light sherry and the other grappa.
Fortunately, we had ordered a feast of a starter so we were able to offset the effect of the drinks with their own cheese and hams, and delicious home-made bread served on a gigantic platter.
The main courses were ‘under the bell’ (slow cooked) pork with cheese and the other finely sliced succulent steak with green vegetables and potatoes – followed by apple strudel with ice cream and their own speciality dessert resembling a delicious crème brulee. We struggled to eat it all, but managed to finish off most of the meal as it was indescribably good.
We washed it down with local wine – all the time insisting that Ivo stayed with us throughout to enjoy the food, as he had looked after us so well.
I have since discovered that it is described on Trip Advisor as ‘the best restaurant in Croatia’, and I have to agree that it would take a lot to beat it.
The afternoon seemed to go in a flash, and as we were ready to leave, Ivo asked us if we wanted to visit his parents’ old house where he had spent his childhood, as it was on the way home.
The house was set even further up into the mountainous region offset by dense woodland, where he had fond memories of running freely as a child, through the trees even higher into the steep terrain.
The house is now his studio and a place of inspiration for his art, and where he often brings his young family to experience the solitude and tranquillity of nature.
Before we left this house, Ivo produced bottles of olive oil, made from his own home grown olives, and later that evening, his wife Ela sent us a local delicacy of a large cake, made from a recipe from her own grandmother, and bottles of local wine to take home.
This was our last day of our Novasol adventure, and we will treasure the memories of that special experience for a very long time.
There are many varieties of holidays on offer, and we all have different tastes and expectations. I personally felt the adventure of our very special trip was testament to the experience and dedication of Novasol – and which is why after fifty years of practise, they provide such unique hand-picked holiday homes in so many stunning destinations.
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by Dee | Oct 3, 2018 | Featured, Travel
Once we had spent a couple of days in Orasac, Croatia, checking out the local area and finding out more about its history and culture, we were becoming more fascinated by the country and were completely in love with the choice of location.
The Novasol villa in all its glory, with is amazing views of the sea and bay was a great base for us, and and our gracious host Ivo had offered to show us around Dubrovnik just 15 minutes along the coast. As Ivo drove us toward the old City, he began to tell us more about the history, and how it had become an UNESCO World Heritage Site, having been founded in the 7th century.
As we entered the city at the Pile Gate we strolled around in sheer admiration of the ancient alleyways and architecture. We visited the Rector’s Palace which has a vast history of surviving war, fire and earthquakes, but has now been restored to its natural splendour and the History Department of the Museum of Dubrovnik has operated in the palace since 1872.
We then stopped for lunch at Poco Loco, situated in a little square, just around the corner from the old port, serving fusion food and cocktails. We ate a delicious light meal and sipped at one of their local recommended wines, before stepping out again to explore the rest of the City.
There seemed to be Street artistry at every corner, and it is no wonder as Artists and Performers are attracted to the sheer magic of the City as it has become an inspiration for all forms of creativity. It is an uplifting experience to just wander around within its 2km walls, and has earned its name Pearl of the Adriatic, as there is nowhere else in Europe that could compare to its captivating spirit.
Ivo had arranged to pick us up later in the afternoon, giving us plenty of time to explore the City. As we drove back along the coast we again marvelled at the wonder of the landscape, as we had on our first day in Croatia.
The following day we were recommended to visit a restaurant close to the Villa, and so we ventured to Taverna Arka just three kilometres from ‘home’.
There was no need to book as we were slightly off season, but were greeted by Peter the owner as if he had known us for decades. The young waiter who was friendly and caring, took time to explain each item on the menu to us, and the produce was fresh and sourced from local farms and fishermen.
We decided on the wild mushroom risotto and oysters followed by a steak and seabass main course, all specialities of the house, and we hardly had room for the desserts, but there was a good selection, which were also quite delicious.
In the Summer the roof terrace is open and overlooks the bay of Zaton where it is situated, and the views again are quite exceptional, and a great attraction for both visitors and locals.
We were now beginning to feel the benefits of the region, and were still on a mission to discover more.
See later more gems of the Adriatic on our Novasol adventure.
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by Dee | Oct 2, 2018 | Fashion, Featured
Some years ago when visiting a distant relative in Mississippi, I noticed a Coat of Arms hanging on their living room wall displaying a rather distinguished tartan crest of our family tree, dating back to the 17th century.
It made me think about tartan and its origins and the significant role in symbolising clans and heritage, and the part it is still playing even within our own Royal Family. Kate, Duchess of Cambridge recently wore a Black Watch tartan outfit when visiting St Andrews school in Berkshire, and Prince Charles is famous for donning his tartan kilt at a variety of events in Scotland.
It is not surprising that tartan keeps making a comeback in our fashion industry, and the Burberry plaid is actually recognised by the Tartan Organisation in Scotland.
This Winter you will see the return of tartan in both high end labels and on the High Street, which is good as it always seems to hold its charm and resonate with most generations.
Versace have a stunning outfit embellished within its layers, as only they can portray, and if your budget stretches to those heights, you can only indulge in the splendour of this stunning and actually ageless outfit.
Warehouse are doing a smart but stylish reversible tartan trench, a snitch at £99 which can adapt nicely with jeans or as a smarter work coat.
Next Lipsy have an adorable tartan mini-kilt at only £40 and , and you have to check out the morgan tartan asymmetric skirt from Preen By Thornton Bregazzi at £745, and more can be found on www.shopstyle.co.uk and www.farfetch.com.
If you just want a hint of tartan, dress any outfit with a classic tartan scarf for Winter.
Within its history, tartan has also symbolised the Rebel and the Royal, and this is reflected in all aspects of its evolvement in fashion, either being worn regally with its classic bent, or with a more daring punk influence.
It just gives us food for thought, and also gives us the confident to explore and include this heritage emblem within our own ‘brand’ of fashion to bring it home and make it our own.
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