Category Archives: Blog

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Feb 17 2012

How Carmen Sandiego Changed My Life

Long before internet, e-mail, or Ipads, there was just a single slow computer that took 5 minutes to start up. In front of one such old computer sat myself – at 5 years old – playing Reader Rabbit, Doom, and Minesweeper.   I’m not sure which adult thought Doom was a good idea for a 5 year old, but I somehow got past the nightmares to kick some serious butt.  I owe my early reading skills to Reader Rabbit and my analytical math skills to minesweeper (thanks for teaching me dad!).  There was one computer game, however, that made a lasting impression: Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?

Not only did Carmen teach me about geography, she made me want to go to the places she had been. She was my first exposure to the infectious travel bug.  For those of you that don’t know Carmen Sandiego, she is a former ACME agent who went rogue and is now a V.I.L.E. ringleader.  What is ACME?  After years of playing, they never really explained it, but I know it was in San Fran and it had a Chief to report to…so it must have been legit.  V.I.L.E. was an acronym for Villain’s International League of Evil (clever right?).  The objective of the game is to follow clues and figure out her disguise and her next travel destination by talking to locals. There are also guides who help you learn about the destination you are at.  She made jetsetting an addiction.

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Feb 15 2012

Wanderlust Wednesday: Movies that Inspire Travels

My second addiction following travel is definitely movies. From indie flicks to action thrillers, I’m enthralled by popcorn (with nacho cheese) and the big screen. I read scripts off the “Black List” and stalk them during production until it finally hits the screen years later, if at all.

I am known for IMDBing a movie weeks before I see it and then again immediately after (and weeks following). The IMDB app is by far my most used app. I read about movies I’m too scared to see myself like Human Centipede, Cannibal Holocaust, Men Behind the Sun, and Salò, and learn random trivia facts about my favorite action flicks.  Did you know the infamous hallway scene in Inception used an actual giant rotating hallway.  Yeah, they built that thing.  Christopher Nolan, ever since Memento, I knew you were a genius. Aside from learning about disturbing movies and tracking every Leo Dicaprio flick in existence (Don’t Judge. I liked him since Growing Pains, okay?), some of my favorite movies spark the travel bug inside me too!

Here are a few of those movies that give me the travel itch.

The Bourne Series (2002, 2004, 2007) – So in all fairness, the handheld camera style and the fast paced scenes of these filmsdon’t give ample time to show off Bourne’s travel destinations.  Nevertheless, throughout the trilogy, we head through the UK, Morocco, Germany, Czech Republic, Spain, Italy, France, Greece, Morocco, India, and Russia.  Although we only get glimpses into each city, the movies still definitely had me thinking throughout the film, “Where is that? I want to go there….Oh sh– Bourne is the new MacGyver, but no seriosuly, where is that?” Props Matt Damon. The Bourne Legacy will not be the same without you.

In Bruges (2008)
Okay, so this movie is not exactly PC.  In fact, I’m pretty positive most of my friends would hate it, but I think it’s genius.  An incredibly dark movie set against an incredibly beautiful, bright, and upbeat town, this Colin Farrell flick made me more than ever want to go to Bruges.  Our Bruges trip without Colin Farrell ended a whole lot happier than the movie, but we might not have found our way to the quaint little town without it.

Lost in Translation (2003)
Scarlett Johansson’s breakout role resonated in my heart.  Japan has never been a “must-see” for me.  I’m not sure why, but this movie isn’t just about an unlikely friendship in Tokyo.  It is the perfect example of fleeting friendships and acquaintances made while traveling that – although are sometimes strange and quirky – are completely memorable.

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Feb 14 2012

10 for Tuesday: Romantic Cities

So St. Vincent’s Day is upon us and Richard and I don’t have much of a Tuesday planned. It is a Tuesday. We work longer than the average man’s 9 to 5. The last thing I want to do is get dressed up while I could be watching Glee in my pajamas.

This weekend, however, we did have a celebratory breakfast at a local diner that had a mix of a hospital vibe and a senior citizen home. It was apparently the place to be on a Sunday, and – despite one’s first impression – the food was amazing. Hole in the wall places are usually a hit or miss and this was definitely a hit. Aside from that, we went to REI and tried on some backpacks for Richard’s first backpacking trip coming up this Spring Break! We’ll have to leave those specifics to another post, but our “romantic weekend” was just any other weekend…both of us working on Saturday and being completely lazy the rest of the weekend, and I don’t think I would’ve wanted it any other way.

Richard set his alarm at midnight this morning to wish me a Happy Valentine’s Day, but I was way too tired to wake up and hear him. He’s making me waffles for breakfast with the waffle iron I bought him in college (which he has yet to use). It’ll be a fairly simple Valentine’s Day for us, and I love it.

Despite the fact that we aren’t having an overly romantic weekend doesn’t mean we won’t take advantage of a romantic getaway some other weekend, particularly on a weekend that isn’t grabbing for money out of our wallets. (side note: I went over personification with my students today, and I included this example. They nailed it).

Paris, Venice, and Barcelona might be the go-to romantic city destinations, but there are plenty romantic places to spend a weekend getaway in The States.

Here are my top 10.

10. Santa Fe, New Mexico- Santa Fe is known for many things other than a reference in a RENT song. Richard and I are determined to make it there on our upcoming road trip. It is an atypical southwest getaway with some iconic sites and many Spanish cultural influences (It was once Spain’s capital for it’s US territories). Throw in some desert sunsets and you have yourself a beautiful and relaxing weekend.

Santa Fe, New Mexico

Finish Reading the Top 10…

euro304
Feb 8 2012

WTF Wednesday: Tourists to be Banned from Coffee Shops

War on Drugs, but Tourist Drugs Only?

The Netherlands is apparently going through a 1920s-style prohibition phase with their coffee shops. While coffee shops in The States spur up imagery of over-sized cups, sugar drowned beverages, and caloric mini pastries, coffee shops in Holland are no more than a euphemistic effort to sell high quality narcotics. Let’s break down the various coffee lingo in the Netherlands:

1.) Coffee Shop – a licensed seller of cannabis products including – but not limited to – weed, hash, and space cakes

2.) Coffee House (koffiehuis) – establishment that sells coffee and light meals

3.) Café – casual restaurant and/or bar

Confused yet?

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Feb 5 2012

Super Bowl Infogasm: 5 Sports that are More Popular Around the World

The Super Bowl is on.  Richard is watching it, not because he loves football, but because there’s some type of manhood associated with watching football on Super Bowl Sunday and kicking back to beers.  I put up with it for the commercials.  Don’t get me wrong, I like sports.  I love watching basketball.  I even like watching soccer or baseball if it’s a live game.  Now, I’m sure if I were actually in the audience and experiencing the football game, it would be a big deal.  Sitting at home, kicking back on junk food, not so much.  I just don’t get it.  It got me thinking if other countries actually think American Football is a big deal.  They don’t.  Although it is played in 50 countries around the world, most countries aren’t big on the pig skin sport.

After going through various sources, here are the 5 sports in the world that are more popular than American football. I’ve also chosen to include the country that won 1st place in that sport in the last Olympics because…oh that’s right, American football isn’t in the Olympics.

1.) Football (REAL football=soccer). Soccer as we Americans call it is the most popular sport in the world.  Soccer, futbol, is everywhere.  In 2008, Argentina took gold for the Men and USA took home gold for the Women. My recent trip to Ghana definitely reinforced the value of futbol to me. Almost every student I talked to aspired to be a futbol player. Crowds of people surrounded themselves around a tiny television at the neighborhood bar to watch the games. Soccer is the sport loved by the masses. American football might be played in 50 countries, but there are 208 countries in the world that play soccer professionally.

2.) Cricket. Okay so in all honesty, I have never in my life watched a game of cricket, but I have seen Alice swing a flamingo at some hedgehogs. Does that count? Shoot, I think that’s croquet….Anyway, cricket is apparently the second most popular sport in the world. Go figure.  Although cricket isn’t played in the Olympics. It was, once. In 1900, two guys went to a festival and competed for the UK (then Great Britain) and won their tournament.  They didn’t even realize they were competing for the Olympics until after they had won. The games have never been played in the Olympics since then, but it is rumored they might likely come back in the future due to its increasing popularity. Increasing popularity? Sure, okay.

3.) Tennis. Here’s a sport I can invest in a tad bit because my dad and grandpa like to play. I was forced to watch many tennis games while I was simultaneously whining over my inability to watch Rugrats or Clarissa Explains it All.  After the hatred of the sport subsided, I picked up a racket and learned that this sport is pretty difficult and fun too. Most of the world would agree. Although some may argue it is not the most exciting sport to watch, others adore the short skirts and attractive people whose faces aren’t covered my masks.  In 2008, the Wiliams’ sisters took home the gold for women’s doubles (of course), the Swiss took home the gold the for men’s doubles, and Spain and Russia each got a gold in singles.

Man, this is a rough sport....

4.) Hockey. All the various kinds of hockey are actually more popular around the world than American football. Whether it’s ice hockey, field hockey, or air hockey…those little doughnut-shaped pucks are all the rage. Okay, so maybe air hockey isn’t as big as American football, but it might be. I’ve always liked ice hockey ever since Joshua Jackson made the Mighty Ducks movies so darn addicting.  Knuckle-puck and flying V shout out!  Field hockey on the other hand, I didn’t really know about. I honestly thought field hockey was the same thing as lacrosse. Thanks to Google, I not only learned that field hockey is the 4th most popular sport in the world, I learned the Germans and Netherlands took the gold for the men and women’s teams, respectively.  Oh, and it’s a damn dangerous sport.

Awh, there's so happy. Go USA!

5.) Volleyball. Volleyball was always one of those sports that I thought looked really easy until I played it myself. Saved by the Bell summer days definitely had me fooled. Damn you Kelly Kapowski. It’s definitely a fun sport, but I never thought about the extreme strength it takes to have a great serve or the technique involved. In 2008, the USA was close to winning Gold medals for all 4 of the volleyball tournaments (men and women’s indoor and beach). The women’s indoor team lost the gold to Brazil, but we took home the rest!

Well, there you have it. 5 sports that are significantly more popular than American football.  I could have actually extended the list to 10 if I included single person sports such as golf, but the half time show is on.  Damn Madonna.  You go, girl.

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Feb 2 2012

20 Las Vegas DOs & DON’Ts: All Girls Getaway

It’s Groundhog Day, and apparently we are due for 6 more weeks of winter.  That doesn’t mean future Vegas trips can’t be in the works!  Going to Las Vegas with all girls is a completely different experience than with the fam or the bf.  Here’s my list of 20 DOs & DON’Ts for an all girls getaway, which frankly, are the funnest trips.

Flamingo's GO Room Bathrooom

#1.) DO: Get a fabulous room in a fabulous location.  The strip has hotels for all budget levels so don’t book a hotel to save up a few bucks when you’re inevitably going to pay more for taxi fares!  Figure out the clubs you want to hit or hotels you will likely tour and grab a hotel near there.  Many of the hotels are renovating their rooms, so do your research and get the best room for your ideal price. The Flamingo’s Go Room is my current recommendation for the cheapest, newly renovated, room on the strip.  The casino floor might be a bit older, but the pool is recently renovated as well and makes for a great time. My favorite place for a larger group of girls is definitely PH Towers, Westgate in their 1 or 2 bedroom suites.  The suite includes a full kitchen, jacuzzi, and TV projector that takes up the entire wall.  Both hotels are in the middle of the strip that make for prime access.  The Venetian is also a go-to for larger groups since they are all suites, but I don’t recommend them as highly only because of the resort fees.

PH Towers, Westgate Suite

DON’T: Break your budget or forget about the “resort fees”. Yes, you want to splurge on your vacation and a relaxing hotel, but don’t break your budget.  Otherwise, you’ll secretly be passive aggressive about the price the entire trip and nitpick at everything imperfect with your room or hotel.  Pick something in your range and only pay for what’s important to you. If a full kitchen is worth it to you because you know you’ll be stocking it up, great. If you’re not going to actually take advantage of the extra space and ever be in the room, maybe it isn’t worth the extra bills.  Also, don’t forget about those pesky resort fees when figuring out the room price total.  Many Vegas hotels are now charging a per day “resort fee” for things you won’t use, with the exception of maybe internet.  Whether or not you use their resort fee services, you’ll be slapped on with a daily fee between $10-$30/day.  Your room might not seem as affordable when you take these into account.  (The aforementioned hotel recommendations don’t include resort fees). 

Photoshopping in your friends who couldn't be there? Optional.

#2.) DO: Go with girlfriends with similar views on Vegas Vacays. There are girls you call when you had an awful day at work, and there are girls you go to Vegas with.  If you’re lucky, these girls are one in the same.  Make sure your agenda for fun in Vegas coincides with your group of girls.  While one’s ideal vacay may be lounging pools, spas, and shopping, the others’ might be boys, drinks, and more drinks.  Of course there’s always compromise in their somewhere and either way, you’re going with girls you love, but going with girls on the same wave-length will always be a benefit for upping your level of fun.

Marquee @ Cosmopolitan

DON’T: Be that girl. If you love your girlfriends but just realized you did not follow DO #2, try to get on their wave length of fun.  If you have found that girl in your group, and it’s not you, cut them some slack and compromise on what you all want to do.  You’ll probably be that girl eventually.

#3.) DO: Get on the guest list to one the hottest clubs in Vegas. If your group of girls is gorgeous, you’ll have no problem.  If your group of girls at least has lady parts, you’ll still be totally fine.  Girls rule Vegas: always have, always will.  Even at the busiest times of the year, it won’t be difficult to find a promoter that will do anything to get you into their club and use their name.  Take some time and tour your casino and the strip or search twitter and facebook.  The promoters are countless.  The second part of this DO is to get into one of the hottest clubs in Vegas.  Luxor’s LAX and Bellagio’s The Bank are now old news.  Pure @ Caesar’s isn’t even as exciting or new as it once was either.  The place to be is always changing, but for 2012, you’re pretty safe with Marquee @The Cosmopolitan, XS or Surrender @ Encore, Vanity @ The Hard Rock, Rain @ The Palms, Tao @ Venetian, or Haze @ Aria.  The lounges also are a great place to swing by if there are free drinks involved.  Send me a message if you need some contacts, but Kevin can definitely help you out!

TAO @ Venetian

XS @ Encore

The Palms

Haze @ Aria

DON’T: Pay a cover charge, ever.  People will pay for tickets because a performer/DJ is in town or because this is the newest club so “everyone pays”.  No, not everyone pays.  A group of girls should not pay a cover charge ever.  Some door men will tell you, you’re on the “guest list”, but girls still pay a reduced fee.  It only takes a bit of sweet talking and “but…(insert promoter name here) said….” to get it back down to gratis.

Read the full list!!! Continue reading →

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Jan 30 2012

Where the Google is Malta?

The fall of 2008 was my first exposure to the “budget airline”. The US has Southwest, Jet blue, and Virgin Airlines …but they have nothing on the budget airlines of the EU. Who knew you could fly from Venice to Dublin or from London to Geneva for 5 Euro flat, with NO taxes?
Yes, there are some catches if you’re traveling with a check-in, but that’s another post entirely.  We only needed our carry on backpacks for most of our trips!  I only had a few short months in Europe and wanted to make sure I booked all my flights early.  Ryanair’s name (among others) came up quickly. Despite the negativity I’ve read about the airline – including numerous canceled, delayed,and “haha-screw you” flights…- we went with the Dublin based airline and hoped for the best. I’m happy to report that I’ve never had an issue with Ryanair, yet.

Playing at the Park

Ryanair was offering their notorious, limited time, no tax flights, and one of the options was Malta.  After some Google-ing , I learn that Malta is one of the smallest countries in the world, and it is south of Italy. Yes, an actual country! Here’s an example of how my geography education has failed me.
The amazing offer was about to expire, so we booked the flight on a whim. We book for early winter and hope that Malta, being south of Italy, will still be supporting warm weather. I figured, 10 Euro roundtrip? If something comes up that weekend and we have to cancel, so be it…but we couldn’t miss out on the chance of a lifetime going to, uh Malta? I’m very glad we followed through with it. It was probably one of the best destinations we hit our entire trip.

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Jan 29 2012

Land of the Fighting Irish: Dublin

Last week I made a post reminiscing on past couchsurfing experiences.  I’d like to this start this gloomy Wednesday with an in-depth account of one those trips.

Our host - Loch - lives in an incredibly cute, story book, blue house.

Dublin, the head quarters of Ryan Air, was being offered as a 5 Euro (no taxes) trip from London back in the fall of 2008.  Karen – my traveling buddy – and I jumped on the chance to buy the tickets and decided even 2 nights in Dublin is better than nothing.  We hopped onto couchsurfing.com and sought out a couchsurfer host.  I don’t know how we got so incredibly lucky, but Loch – who is usually booked with couchsurfer guests – had some room for us!  He even offered to pick us up from the airport.

Despite being delayed, Loch waited patiently for us and was an amazing host for our entire trip!    We perused the list of many things to do, and the Guinness Storehouse is definitely a tourist favorite!  Unfortunately we had to pass on it due to our time constraints, but maybe we’ll head there on another trip.

We did, however, make some time for some delicious food and a tour of a prison. Yeah, a prison.  Kilmainham Gaol is Europe’s largest prison no longer in use. The leaders of the 1916 Rebellion were executed here.  I think this prison should be at the top of the list for must-sees due to it’s eerie vibe mixed with its history.  The tour is absolutely fascinating and, for 2 Euros for students, it is budget friendly as well.

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Jan 23 2012

Monday Memories: In Bruges, w/o Colin Farrell

Mondays are always especially rough for me.  My 8th graders are a bit more indifferent on Mondays than on any other day, and mornings are usually hard after sleeping in Saturday and Sunday.

To get over a case of the Mondays, I’ve chosen to go down memory lane. It is still chilly outside, winter is in the air, and ice is stuck on my windows. As I defogged my windows this morning, I reminisced over our trip to Bruges.  Before Colin Farrell’s dark comedy, I could only name two cities in Belgium: Brussels and Antwerp (Antwerp from a lyric in a song from Cabaret).   Yes, I actually was a fan of the Colin Farrell, dark comedy movie, but we also wanted to visit because of the Snow & Ice Sculpture Festival.

Our base for the trip was Brussels.  I had an old couchsurfing friend, Dimitri (who I had stayed with in Paris while I studied abroad).  He was kind enough to let us crash after he moved to Brussels!  We woke up early and headed on an hour train ride to spend the day in Bruges.

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