Some people view the end of the year as a time of reflection and assessment of achievements against pre-set goals and possibly lament missed opportunities. As 2010 comes to an end, we prefer to glance over our shoulder, remembering the good times with a smile before pointing our eyes firmly towards the future.
In choosing ‘the best of 2010’, we have taken into the account several variables instead of relying solely on the number of comments or hits per post as a lot of feedback happens behind the scenes. Join us as we take a retrospective look into what made 2010 a special and successful year for Gourmantic.
January kicked off with the epic coverage of the Indulgent Afternoon Tea at Burj Al Arab, the 7 star hotel rising from the waters of the Persian Gulf in Dubai. February followed with Adriano Zumbo’s Heart-Shaped Macarons, the famous Sydney patissier and his Valentine’s Day themed macarons. In March, despite the honesty of the Gourmantic Affair with Twitter trilogy, the 2-part article on Ladurée in Paris continues to be popular, whether it is Ladurée Champs-Elysées or Ladurée Bonaparte in the 6ème arrondissement.
April had a few contenders but the tongue in cheek How to Look Like a Tourist in Paris in 5 Easy Steps remained consistently in the top 5 most popular articles. May was a very special month. Tasting the Mediterranean, my entry into the Grantourismo Competition won me first prize and The Real Letters to Juliet: Casa di Giulietta in Verona articles continues to generate inquiries from people around the world. June was the month when Gourmantic turned 1 year old and the it was a close tie between the Dubai Desert Safari and Dune Bashing and Essential Tips for Planning Your Dubai Desert Safari.
July was a marathon month with 32 articles written, thanks to running Le Tour de France Gourmantic in parallel with the famous bike race. August saw Mr G’s debut article with Where to Eat in Paris: Restaurant and Bistro Guide, a comprehensive resource that has received much acclaim behind the scenes. September proved that Amélie was an instant hit with Café des 2 Moulins: Amélie’s Café in Montmartre while The Dish of Aleppo: Kabab Bil Karaz – Cherry Kabab, our first ever recipe is a consistent crowd pleaser.
October was a busy month with the Crave Siff Sydney events resulting in many food posts but the controversial opinion article The Ugly Side of Venice with giant billboards covering iconic buildings and the mysterious Through His Eyes: Sydney’s Eastern Beaches gave What to Eat in Aleppo Syria: A Food and Drink Guide a competitive battle. November was an eclectic month which saw Gourmantic’s debut into guest posts at the Urban Grocer and Trains on the Brain. We were also interviewed by Flipnomad as a couple. Back on Gourmantic, we featured our first interview with a volunteer in Africa but the most popular posts were the four part series, Paris Guides for First Time Travellers.
December was a close tie between the David Jones Christmas Window Display and Café Rallye Tournelle in Paris. While it seemed a little quieter on the surface, a lot of work was being quietly done and an exciting announcement will be made early in the New Year!
To everyone who has read, commented, tweeted, liked, stumbled, shared, digged, emailed and whispered in our ear, thank you for being part of our Gourmantic journey.
Happy New Year! And stay tuned for an exciting announcement early in 2011. Cheers!
Have a fantastic new year ahead! May 2011 feed you both
better. Cheers, Your monkey stalker from Malaysia.
And the same to you! I feel a correction is on order here. How about my ‘favourite monkey stalker from Malaysia’? 🙂
Really pleased we came across your blog. Love to read the posts – being that food plays a huge part in our travels.
Happy New Year to you both and if your 2011 is as busy and successful as your 2010 was, it’s going to be a hell of a year! Best wishes for 2011! 🙂
Julia and Barry
Likewise!! I love than 2010 and our blogs have brought us together 🙂
My favorite posts were definitely the ones about Paris, and I also enjoyed the macaron marathon from Australia. I’m particularly fond of “What to do with 5 Hours in Paris” and “How to Look Like a Tourist in Paris.” I still laugh when I think of that article. Very Happy New Year wishes to the both of you for 2011!
Thank you for being part of our journey! “5 Hours in Paris” will always remind me of you. Hopefully one day we can share a few hours somewhere in the world 🙂