10 latest experiences http://www.hereorthere.com/members/victoria en-us If you want a true experience of what the Lake District is about beyond the tourist traps of Windermere and Sawrey, make time to go along to one of the summer agricultural shows that still draw large crowds and fierce competition amongst the local farmers and cake bakers of Cumbria. Most shows began in the mid 1800s, as a rare opportunity for hill farmers in this very remote area to meet and exchange news and gossip, and many of old traditions persist. Entry is a couple of pounds, but the insight into the way the countryside balances its past and its future is fascinating. Ploughing challenges and Herdwick sheep, with traditional red iron ore on their fleeces and chalk on their stumpy legs, stand next to high-tech feed stalls, and NFU tents. And, in the west of the county, there are also Hartleys ice cream vans - easily the best local ice cream in the country. Gosforth Show is my own local, and I've been entering cakes and rum butter for long enough to know the right way to stage a... Gosforth, United Kingdom victoria Mon, 11 Jun 2007 10:55:56 +0100 http://www.hereorthere.com/members/victoria/experience/159 http://www.hereorthere.com/experiences/159 Living La Vida Lopez might seem like an impossible LA dream, but if your idea of Hollywood glamour is more Grace Kelly than Lindsay Lohan then a few hours in Monaco can let you slip into a glitzy old school world of deck shoes and champagne cocktails - and so long as your sunglasses are big enough, no one's going to burst your bubble. You just can't tell which scruff is a multi-millionaire yacht owner or unwashed racing driver round here. And that's the charm of the place. The first thing that surprises you about Monaco is just how tiny it is - and the second thing is how much they've managed to pack into it. (The third surprising thing is that many of the shops have a picture of Prince Albert in the window, and he makes Prince Edward look like, well, George Clooney.) The marina houses some of the world's most expensive yachts, all jostled up together in a picturesque white collage of masts and lights, and the tall apartments that stack up the precipitous hillside are similarly exto... Monaco, Monaco victoria Sun, 13 May 2007 22:39:25 +0100 http://www.hereorthere.com/members/victoria/experience/64 http://www.hereorthere.com/experiences/64 It's a mecca for retro cake bakers, Sex in the City fans, and people needing an immediate huge sugar fix - the Magnolia Bakery on Bleeker usually has queues of drooling customers stretching out the door and down the street, all happy to wait for its frosting-heavy, but deliciously light baked offerings. What's the draw? Pink, green and blue-iced cupcakes the size of the average birthday cake, topped with melt-in-the-mouth buttercream, in chocolate and vanilla, with specials like the exotic Red Velvet (chocolate sponge dyed red with colouring), carrot and "hummingbird", according to the day of the week. Everything is made right there in the shop, with fresh cupcakes iced right in front of you - calorie counters avert your eyes as the bakers slap on massive spoons of pastel frosting, twirl to get the distinctive Magnolia finish, then top off with sprinkles. Cupcakes take centre-stage, but don't overlook Magnolia's other retro delights. For English visitors, especially, the list rea... New York City, United States victoria Tue, 24 Apr 2007 20:12:14 +0100 http://www.hereorthere.com/members/victoria/experience/37 http://www.hereorthere.com/experiences/37