All posts tagged: shopping

24 Hours: Luxembourg City

“Where are you headed next?” “Luxembourg!” “Oh cool…silly question, where is that again? Switzerland?” “No, but close, there’s a “Little Switzerland” in Luxembourg!” “Wait, I thought Luxembourg was a capital city in another country?” “Yeah, Luxembourg City IS the capital of Luxembourg!” “Oh jeez, get out of here before you drive me nuts!” “Haha, love ya!” Typical conversations that surrounded my recent trip to Luxembourg always seemed to either begin and end in a cloud of confusion as to where Luxembourg is, or garner disbelief as to how I spent an entire weekend there without electing to hop over to popular neighboring cities like Brussels, Paris and Cologne. However, during my summer in London, I decided to zip over and find out what the local sensibility of this city full of drifters is, with 60% of its population being expats and having 170,000 people commute back and forth each day. Outside of having well-paid jobs particularly in the EU and financial sectors, what is the draw to life in Luxembourg City? Upon arrival, I quickly …

Haggle Like A Pro

In many parts of the world, haggling is a way of life however this dance can sometimes feel offbeat for Western travelers. If you’ve ever felt a tinge of hesitation towards this two-step, fear not! Here are some tips to help bargain your way through any marketplace like a pro! LOOK THE PART The art of haggling starts with your appearance. If you walk through a market looking like a million bucks, chances are you’ll get charged just about the same! Avoid being flashy in your presentation so your bargaining efforts come off sincerely. Added bonus if you learn a few local phrases to meet on as much common ground as possible. KNOW YOUR PRICE Before heading up to any vendor, do your research and come up with ideal prices you’re willing to pay for any given item. A great way of doing this is by consulting locals you know, observing other shops to see where the average asking prices fall as well as browsing through other travelers’ comments & confessionals online. Having rough placeholders …

24 Hours: Savannah, GA

The haunting beauty and charm of Savannah, Georgia is not meant to be reduced to a day. From its sweeping oaks adorned with garland-like Spanish moss to its immaculately squared off patches of history and legends scattered about as points of reflection throughout the city, the air of Savannah is one that thickly lingers long after you’ve departed. With only 24 hours to explore due to a spur of the moment road trip from Atlanta, I attempted to ingest Savannah’s allure in one hardy sitting and was pleasantly surprised at how much there is to do in this small town and how deeply I long to return for more. Come take a nostalgic stroll through some of the many highlights during my 24 hours as a first-time drifter in Savannah… Exploring Savannah Streets & Architecture The streets of Savannah are pristine and picturesque with rich architecture and amazing landscaping that it’s hard not to go around make-believe house hunting and fantasizing what décor may lie behind each door. I highly recommend staying at one of …

The Perfect Staycation For A Francophile

As the famous words often attributed to Audrey Hepburn go, “Paris is always a good idea.” Being the self-professed Francophile that I am, I constantly have a daily dose of wanderlust for Paris, which is one of my absolute favorite cities in the world. However, the luxury of time or budget isn’t always on my side to plot a getaway. It’s in these instances that I become creative and have mini escapes throughout my day that fondly remind me of Paris. Come join me on une journée Parisienne à New York (a Parisian Day in New York). Le Petit Déjeuner Chez Ladurée (Breakfast at Ladurée) Ladurée, one of the most popular bakeries and tea salons in Paris established since 1862, has two locations in Manhattan – a storefront on Madison Avenue in the Upper East Side and a full tea salon in SoHo and their macarons are my kryptonite! For this reason, I skip the typical breakfast fare and head straight to dessert. My favorite flavor is pétale de rose (rose petal), but you can’t …

Jetsetter Problem #1: Where To Go Next! (Finale)

Unlike Rihanna who hung out with the entire German locker room after the World Cup finals, I can’t exactly say I was hot & bothered by the results. In fact, when Mario Goetze made that crucial last minute goal, I flew into a tizzy! It would have been AMAZING to see Argentina win, not only because I’ve never been before, but also to breakup Europe’s dominance over the championship. To cope, my foodie brain immediately lunged into overdrive. My tongue watered and whined about wanting more vacío over schnitzel all the while settling for swallowed pride and muttered congrats to German fans on ending a 24 year drought. Eventually, my thoughts shifted from soccer stats to travel memories. My first adventure in Deutschland took me to the capital city of Berlin. If you’ve never visited, Berlin is a great intro to modern German history due to its balanced diet of old East and West remnants seamlessly blending in with the new. It’s also a cool city to check out: Great art in all forms (beer included!)…Outside of classics like …