{Seats 1A and 1B on Qatar Airways; photo via Johnny Jet}

For me, flying is as much a part of the adventure as my final destination. I recently had the privilege of flying Qatar Airways from New York’s JFK to Doha, Qatar and then on to Mumbai. I was excited to check out Qatar Airways. I’d never flown with them before and I’d heard all about their great product and service.

My fiance Johnny Jet and I departed from JFK close to midnight and I was excited to settle into the 12-hour flight. We were fortunate enough to be flying business class, which obviously makes a long-haul flight easier and since I don’t typically fly business, this was a real treat! John and I sat in seats 1A and 1B so we had lots of room to stretch out and get comfy. Business class passengers are given pajamas to change into, which made things even more comfortable. You can keep your pajamas after the flight but John and I packed ours up and gave them to a family in the slums once we arrived in Mumbai. I also swiped some of the fancy amenities in the bathroom (like lotions, toothbrushes and toothpaste) and gave them to the poor as well. (Sorry, Qatar Airways – I hope that’s ok!)

{Ready to change into my pajamas and settle in to a 12-hour flight from New York to Doha}

Business class passengers have their own personal entertainment systems (with over 1,000 entertainment options including movies, music and video games) and I was looking forward to settling in to watch a few flicks but unfortunately, my unit wasn’t working. Definitely a bummer but since we departed so late, I was just as happy to recline my lie-flat seat and get some shut eye.

{Premium class lounge at Doha International Airport; photo via Johnny Jet}

The flight was a breeze (I know – of course it was in business class!) and I felt relaxed and refreshed by the time we landed at Doha International Airport. The airport is currently undergoing construction so passengers are shuttled from the plane to their gate. But once we got into the airport, I was struck by how large, bright and welcoming it was. The premium class lounge is huge, with a large buffet filled with local and international foods and free WiFi – very important for an Internet junkie like me. How else would I update my Facebook status to let friends and family know I’d landed in Doha?

Overall, I give Qatar Airways top marks for a clean and comfortable plane, impeccable on-board service and all the special touches (pajamas, Godiva chocolates, a menu with gourmet food options) that make flying business class worth the price of a ticket.

Have you flown Qatar Airways before? What was your experience like?

Mirvish has an exciting lineup coming up for theatre lovers. I’m most excited about Wicked (October 20 to November 28, 2010) and The Lion King (April 19 to May 22, 2011) both of which I’ve seen before but that’s never stopped me; I see shows I love over and over again. The magic of live performances never wears off on me. Visit mirvish.com to find out what’s coming up and to buy tickets.

More information:

Legally Blonde: The Musical
July 7 – August 8, 2010
Princess of Wales Theatre, 300 King Street West
Toronto, ON M5V 1J2
416-872-1212

Performance schedule:
Tues- Sat 8 PM;
Weds, Sat & Sun 2 PM;
No performance on Weds July 7, 2 PM
Added performances Thurs July 8, 2 PM & Sun July 11, 8 PM

And this is me at my desk at work, wearing a wrist brace from WORKING TOO HARD.

I’m just saying …

If you want to see more of Capri, you should follow him on Twitter at @JohnnyJet. Oh, and follow me, too please at @TrndyTravelista!

My flight is delayed due to lingering ash clouds so I’m trying not to complain too profusely. I fully understand the need to take precautions and a three-hour delay isn’t so bad, anyway. So, I’m amusing myself at this great international airport. So, what to do?

I’m going to grab something to eat in the lounge and enjoy the views of Switzerland outside the large, floor-to-ceiling windows that surround the lounge. I can see fields of gold in the distance; it’s rapeseed, used to make canola oil.

After a bite to eat, there’s lots of shopping to keep me busy. I plan to visit one of the many Swatch shops — what better souvenir to take home than a Swiss timepiece? There are tons of other shops to check out: Gucci, Emporio Armani, Davidoff, Hermes, La Prairie and Montblanc to name a few. But the store that will require the most self-control is Sprungli. Not only does everything look divine and decadent but the packaging is simply gorgeous. Check out these macaroons? Think I can resist?

Rather than dampen the mood, the rain and overcast skies simply added to the magic of this place. The lake was like glass and the moody sky was perfect in its imperfection.

A visit through Switzerland’s wine country wouldn’t be complete without a stop at a local winery for … wine and cheese. We got the morning off to a rocking start with wine from Domaine Bovy and a post-breakfast-pre-lunch snack of Gruyere and Camembert and fresh bread. Yum! Now this is living.

Another wonderful experience in Switzerland.

Well, that’s sort of what happened today. We had all kinds of things planned on our agenda but a hiccup here and a weather glitch there and the day didn’t exactly come together as planned. And I loved it! Some of the most memorable things happen this way.

Today’s highlights:

We stopped to say hello to some local cows. We fed them handfuls of grass and they seemed quite taken with our group. Some of the cows seemed to love some of us more than others. Here, Johnny Jet gets one big, sloppy Swiss kiss!

We also stumbled upon a cafe (which felt much more like we’d walked straight into a local woman’s home) and enjoyed her freshly-baked apple tart. The apples were still warm as they oozed out of the flaky pastry. You just can’t plan this stuff!

And this … well, I just like this picture, taken as we walked down to the lake to take a solar boat ride on Lake Geneva. I made a wish but I can’t tell you what it was.

A two-hour train ride from Zurich Main Station deposited us off in the picturesque town of Lausanne. Instant love. It might have had something to do with the fact that Lausanne greeted us with clear, sunny skies and warm air, while Zurich had been a bit grumpy in the weather department, but still … there was something instantly different and charming about Lausanne. We met our friendly tour guide who took us on a tour of the town. We traveled on the brand new underground metro (Lausanne is the smallest city in the world to have a full metro system) then continued our above-ground walk to drink in the sights, like the Cathedral Notre-Dame of Lausanne and the winding, traffic-free cobblestone streets of Rue de Bourg.

Everywhere I turned, the streets were quaint, beautiful, poetic even. There’s such an obvious respect for history and beauty here. Like so many things here in Europe, the streets look like they’ve been taken straight out of a fairy tale book. It’s breathtaking. As in … it literally took my breath away. And then I turned a corner and this (below) came into view and I felt the tears spring instantly to my eyes.

That’s Lake Geneva with the majestic French Alps standing guard in the background. The feeling is hard to describe. But it was exquisite in a way that only nature’s work can be exquisite. I felt humbled. Grateful. Peaceful. And I had an overwhelming desire to share this moment with the people I love. For me, this is what travel is all about. To see the world in all its natural, defiant grandeur. Thank you, Lausanne, for handing me this moment and a memory I will never forget.

I checked into the Angleterre & Residence (Place du Port 11, 1006 Lausanne, Switzerland, Tel: 021 613 34 34). It’s pure luxury. Not only are the rooms lovely (and my hair dryer is even better than the one I left at home!), but the hotel’s location is ideal. Situated on the shores of Lake Geneva, with views of the Alps, and just a short walk from the centre of Lausanne, the hotel is an ideal place for visitors to stay. Walk across the street to stroll the boardwalk along the lake — and get an ice cream while you’re at it! And be sure to take the five-minute walk to the nearby Olympic Museum. It’s got lots you’ll find interesting, as it provides a retrospective of the games over the decades. But apparently it will soon be closed for two years while it undergoes a renovation, hopefully to make room for even more Olympic treasures. My favourite display was that of the various Olympic torches that have carried the flame for each of the games. There was one space left on the display for the torch from the Vancouver 2010 games. I wish I’d seen it there, the torch that brought the flame from around the world to my home country.

It’s been a short stay so far but already Lausanne has captured my heart. I look forward to seeing more.

A brief tour around the restaurant and kitchen (huge, clean and full of enticing aromas), got all of us in the mood to roll up our sleeves and put our culinary talents to the test. We broke into groups of three and got to work. Group One was responsible for the Lentil Terrine (Beluga lentils, horseradish and cranberry apple sauce). Group Two took on the Paprika Geschnetzeltes (sliced quorn, white wine, cream and gherkins) and my group, Group Three was lucky enough to tackle the Warm (Flourless) Chocolate Cake, served with a strawberry and rhubarb compote. And, if I might say so myself, it was absolutely delicious. I’ve been inspired to give vegetarian cuisine a real try. The Hiltl recipes prove that vegetarian food can be tasty, full of flavour and healthy all at the same time.

After cooking and devouring our meal, we were off again. Our tour guide Andrea led the way on a walking tour of Zurich West. This up-and-coming section of Zurich is undergoing a revitalization project that should be complete in about 15 years (making it a bit of a snooze to visit right now) but will make it one of the city’s newest, trendiest areas to visit. Converted industrial spaces are, and will continue to be, transformed into restaurants, cafes, clubs and shops. Zurich is not an enormous city but it’s growing. Currently boasting a population of almost 400,000, the city continues to expand, not only in size but in its offerings to inhabitants. The city has both modern and traditional aspects to it and the vision for Zurich West is that it will be an area that artfully merges the two. We stopped in a few shops, poked around and spoke to the shop owners. I liked the clothes in a small store called Musis, though found the prices a little steep. The gorgeous knit shawls (pictured below) retail for almost $200 — though I did contemplate splurging. They were so gorgeously soft and luxurious to the touch (fine quality, no doubt) and the cool temperatures meant I’d certainly use it. I did, however, refrain.

Next stop: The Freitag factory. You’ll have to check out the website if you’re not familiar with Freitag bags but the general story is this: They rescue old tarps from truckers across Europe, wash ‘em, cut ‘em up and turn them into trendy messenger-type bags. Started by graphic designer brothers Markus and Daniel Freitag, the company is now enormously successful in Europe (their products are sold in over 300 stores around the globe) and naturally, they’ve got plans to expand their business. It was pretty cool to see inside the factory and get a sense of how the bags are made. The fact that the bags are made out of PVC … well, maybe that’s a topic for another discussion. Still, they’re fashionable and functional and available in a number of different styles.

After the factory tour,  we continued our foot-tour of Zurich West. Travel tip: ALWAYS pack super-comfortable walking shoes. I sacrificed style for comfort on this trip and boy am I glad I did. It was chilly and we did a lot of walking — I was prepared for both.

It was a long day of touring Zurich West on foot and everyone was getting tired. The solution was obvious: A drink and a chance to rest our weary feet at Restaurant Volkshaus (Stauffacherstrasse 60, 8004 Zürich, Switzerland, Tel: 044 242 11 55). I savoured my Bellini and we were off again, this time to visit the Art Show.

This international fair for emerging artists united 80 artists from 20 countries, presenting their paintings, sculptures, photography and art objects. Below are pictured a few of my favourite works, from artist Klaus-Martin Gareis.

Dinner at Les Halles restaurant, a local hangout also in Zurich West, followed by a drink at a sleepy bar across the street called Hard One, topped the night off. When I arrived back at my hotel, I collapsed into bed. Exhausted.

Check out Swiss chocolatier Laderach at Merkur for handmade delights that’ll make your mouth water. The smell alone will make your taste buds tingle. Row upon row of the most beautifully displayed Swiss chocolates that you know taste as good (better even) than they look, tempt you from the moment you step inside the shop. Afterwards, stop for an expensive but delicious hot chocolate at Conditorei (it puts North American hot chocolate to shame).

The shopping is impressive and extensive here in Zurich. From high-end designers to local artisans, there’s much flavour and diversity here. I loved Time Tunnel for its quirky wares (like the chandelier below) and retro home designs and fashions. It shares its real estate space with a hair salon — an unexpected find at the back of the shop that adds to its off-the-wall charm. There was something so totally European about it.

We enjoyed a stroll along the river Limmat and a boat ride along Lake Zurich, both of which provided stunning views of the city from different angles. But most of all, I loved the beauty that can be seen wherever you go, like the pretty flowers pictured below, sold along a sleepy street. The chocolate shops and cafes feel like they’re straight out of a story book, so pretty and perfect, like a fairy tale. The streets are unbelievably clean — it’s rare to see any litter and despite the hustle and bustle of the workday streets, there’s something calm and peaceful, too, even in the heart of downtown. Everything seems so organized and efficient, making Zurich an easy place to grow accustomed to.