I observe with great interest that in many cities there are culinary places which are impossible to forget. Fortunately, the time when every restaurant or café looked the same has sunk into oblivion, and in every city we can find interesting, original spots managed by amazing people. Bored or grumpy waitresses who offend the patrons, unattractive menus and not too fresh products don't exist in places like this. Nowadays, cafés compete in preparing sophisticated desserts, their cakes entice us with their beauty and taste, and the coffee is so redolent that it draws us in from the other end of the street. Apart from bodily pleasures, you may count on nice conversation with the owner or staff, WiFi and the possibility of charging your mobile phone.

We found just such a café in Tarnów. In one of the streets leading off to the market street we saw a tram carriage. It didn't have long rails or electric traction, it didn't screech or ring, and it didn't want to take us on a trip; instead it tempted us with excellent coffee, ice cream and seasonal cakes. We had found our way to Café Tramwaj.

A conversation with the very nice owner revealed a couple of details about this amazing and atmospheric café. The Ladybirds (which is what trams were called in Tarnów) travelled on their 2.5 km routes starting from 1911. Apparently, similar electric trams were in circulation in Galicia only in Kraków and Lwów. Every 6 minutes, from 6 am to 10 pm, six trolleys carried people hurrying to work, home or to a meeting. It is difficult to believe that in 1927 they carried over 1 million passengers. The trams stopped running in Tarnów at the behest of occupying forces in 1942. In 2012, the ladybird once again appeared on the streets of Tarnów. This handmade replica of a carriage from before the war is decorated with original elements like rails, undercarriage, bell and lamps. Great attention to detail makes it difficult to believe that it is only an excellent replica.

Do you know which ideas for dinner I like the most? It's not really complicated: I don't figure things out, don't prepare, don't cook, don't clear the table and everybody is full up and happy. If like me you are sometimes loath to cook dinner, you don't have any idea for a meeting with friends and maybe you are looking for a place for dinner or a power lunch, I recommend a Japanese restaurant called Banihana on Twarda Street 4 in Warsaw. Here excellent food is combined with imaginative preparation of the dishes, and the extraordinary atmosphere is accompanied by creative, open people in one consistent succulent whole. In my opinion, it was joyful, loud and very tasty.

The restaurant was created by amazing people whose ideas still exist in many Benihana restaurants all over the world. Just after the war, Yunosuke Aoki, a descendant of a samurai, decided to start a coffee shop with his wife, Katsu. Wanting to offer something different from other coffee shops in the area, Yunosuke Aoki rode his bike over 20 miles to purchase real sugar for coffee. His son Hiroaki (or Rocky, as he would become known) used the idea to create something unique. Rocky moved to the U.S. to pursue his dream of opening his own restaurant. He started by selling ice cream on the streets of Harlem. At night he studied restaurant management. He went over well and was known on the streets of the areas where work wasn't the most popular activity. The people could rely on his friendliness, smile, energy and the colorful Japanese cocktail umbrellas he added to the treats. These are small details, but isn't it always the little things that stick in our mind? It is hard to believe he managed to save up the money to open his first teppanyaki restaurant in New York in 1964. Like his father's coffee shop, it was named Benihana. He opened more restaurants within the next few years. Now there are 130 restaurants Benihana all over the world.

Summer is a mental state, not only a season. With this slogan we were welcomed by an extremely outgoing and pleasant barmaid in a cocktail bar on Krucza Street 16/22. Though it is a typical place for drinks, the presence of children doesn't marvel anyone. Cocktail Bar Max promises fruity dizziness. Close your eyes, imagine exotic fruit, what does it look like? How does it taste? And now ... try it!.

Our order was short: non-alcoholic drinks, colorful and intensely fruity. After a moment the master of fruits brought before us four huge glasses. On the edge of them were big pieces of watermelon and this was only the beginning. The many fruits were presented as fabulous fully edible decorations. When it seemed that nothing more would fit on the glass, the barmaid added another layer of fruit. I didn't know their names and I ate maybe three of them. Some of the fruits were sweet, the others so sour that I was not able to swallow them. One of them was less decorative, whereas the others looked like exotic birds of paradise: starfruit, grapes, rambutan, watermelon, pitaja (sometimes called 'dragon fruit' or 'strawberry pear'), kumquat, cherimoya (aka pudding apple) are just some of them.

Then each of us got a different cocktail. Depending on whether we preferred more or less sweet, yellow, orange or red, the barmaid skillfully created a combo in a mixer choosing from countless frozen food storages and fridges: mangos, pineapples, persimmons, papayas, passion fruits, pomegranates and watermelon, but also our domestic fruits: strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries.

What exactly is a vacation? For kids it is carelessness, fun and lack of any duties. And what about parents and, in particular, mums? From my perspective, apart from a higher than usual need for creativity and a little more free time there is no difference.

Additionally, if we are travelling to places where vacations are not organized, I have to take care of the cooking. At home where I have everything close to hand, where I have my favourite (and sharp) knives and all my seasonings, cooking is no problem. It is a simple daily task. When on vacation it is not so easy any more.

Because of this I really appreciate places where I can find well prepared cuisine at a good price. I seldom go to Masuria, but this year's vacation I am spending with my friend and thanks to her I have discovered the beanery "Under the spruces" in Rydzewo by the Niegocin Lake. Our children have named this place "The Garage Restaurant" and although the name is debatable, there is no doubt that the quality of the place is beyond question. It is clean, the waiting staff smile and are very patient. People say that lots of sailors sailing on nearby lakes come here because due to word of mouth the place is famous. After a few days of visiting it, I am not surprised.

At the Polish seaside you can eat virtually anywhere. I have a few favorite places which serve tried and trusted and interesting food. Today I would like to recommend the fish and chip shop, U Cywila, in Niechorze. This is a place worth visiting with varied and tasty dishes.