things to do in pula, croatia

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Croatia is beautiful.  That being said, Pula - which is in the northern part of the country in a region called Istria and very close to Italy - is not as pretty as other Croatian towns.  But, it is still worth a visit. I promise.

Arena in Pula.

View of Rovinj from the marina.

Due to its past as a part of the Venetian and Roman Empires, many of those influences remain in the architecture and the food (and you know, I'm going to talk about the food).  These are my top five things to do in Pula:

1.  See the sights.

Arena

          Arena.  Apparently, this is the sixth largest surviving Roman amphitheater in the world. Like the Colosseum in Rome, the Arena also has a subterranean area that houses a small exhibit.  We actually rented an apartment thisclose to the Arena and it was such a pretty sight whenever I looked out my window and saw the colors of the setting sun reflected on those old stones.

The triumphal arch.

          Triumphal Arch - Roman Gates - Gate of Hercules.  If you walk along the walls of the old town, you'll see these gates. For me the one that stood out the most was the Triumphal Arch, which led into the old town, because not only did it still have a lot of the details from when it was built but also because someone erected a sculpture of a sitting James Joyce, the author, looking at the entrance. Either way, walk along the walls and let us know what you discover. 

review: what was business class on alitalia like?

I had never flown on Alitalia before.  And I’ve never paid for business class seats on my own dime before (ouch).  Unfortunately we didn’t have sufficient miles or points for the tickets.  However, since this was for our honeymoon, my husband and I agreed to splurge.

Was it worth the hefty price tag?

my experience using t-mobile's unlimited data coverage in italy

Me with my trusty map app.

I had been planning my honeymoon in Italy (June - July 2014) since the fall of 2013.  I was pleased when T-mobile announced that it would be offering unlimited data coverage globally starting in October 2013 (* note you have to check if the country you are visiting is included in their global list).  I have an iphone 5s and I knew it would be very convenient if I could use it in Italy - especially my map, currency converter and translation apps - without incurring exorbitant roaming charges.

I called T-mobile to confirm that I could use my phone without roaming charges in Italy.  The T-mobile representative told me there would be no roaming and I would get free unlimited texting and that international calls would be 20 cents per minute (plus taxes and fees).  For more information click here.

It all sounded cool in theory.  So what was my actual experience like in Italy?

travel zen on tuesday - hong kong @ nite

sazy rock's top 10 best street food dishes (to date) around the world

For me, there is nothing more satisfying than traveling to a new place and falling in love with the food. Let's face it, the way to this gal's heart is through her tummy (and sometimes, liver). When I look back on my travels, I often drool when I remember all the food I ate.

Last week, I listed my top 10 restaurant dishes.  This week, I'm sharing my top 10 favorite street food dishes I've encountered while traveling.  I'm not sharing those found in the United States because that's where I live (although, I particularly like this taco truck in Los Angeles called, Mariscos Jaliscos, that serves the most delicious shrimp taco I have ever tasted).

So far, these are my top street food dishes I've encountered while traveling listed in no particular order.

1.  Taiwanese sausage in Taipei, Taiwan.

I found all sorts of tasty food in the Taipei night markets. But, the simple Taiwanese sausage caught my eye, nose, and taste buds. My first bite snapped the casing and immediately released slightly sweet juices of the cooked ground pork. While I liked eating the sausage by itself, dipping it in garlic sauce added another layer of flavor.

Taiwanese sausage.

eating and shopping in morocco

Morocco is a shopper's paradise. Their artistry is superb and geometric and abstract tribal designs work very well with modern aesthetics. Although you can buy many Moroccan items in the States, nothing beats the rush you will get when getting a deal on a purchase and as a bonus it will serve as a wonderful reminder of your time in Morocco. And their food isn't half bad either.

Shopping

• Leather slippers aka babouches. Still commonly worn by locals, these unique and portable items make excellent souvenirs.  They come in a variety of colors and are super soft- especially when made from goat or camel skin. Sazy Rock and I had a wonderful mini-adventure with a cobbler in Marrakesh who insisted we come up to his attic workshop - not advisable for a solo traveler!- while he custom-made several pairs of infant slippers while we watched. 60-200MAD.
• Blue ceramics. Decorative plates or tiles; be sure to have the fragile goods properly wrapped for transport back home. 
  

what is the international terminal of lax like now?

It has been a long while since I've flown out of the International Terminal (Tom Bradley) at LAX.  I knew it had been renovated so I was curious to see what it was like now.  (Mainly I wanted to see what restaurants/bars where available, since the original terminal was pretty abysmal.)

So, what is there now?

travel tip: bathroom etiquette when you are sharing a bathroom

I used to travel a lot with my girlfriends and we usually had to share bathrooms.  I won't discuss the obvious when sharing a bathroom - which is obviously to be clean, considerate and not hog up the counter space.

What this post is about is how to minimize the embarrassment of going "number 2" while sharing a bathroom with someone.  The two main things to mitigate - sound and smell.

For sound - unless you are staying at some fancy place with the latest japanese toto toilets that will play music or sounds of rushed air to insulate any unpleasant sounds, you will likely have to resort to turning on the tv or music in the room or running the faucet or flushing the toilet.  The latter two options are a waste of water so I wouldn't recommend doing either unless you are very embarrassed or you are with a new paramour and are still trying to maintain the illusion that you don't have normal bodily functions.

For smell - there is a simple trick.  After you are done doing your business, light a match and wave it above the toilet bowl for a little while and voila! the smell will be gone (or at least replaced by the faint lingering smell of smoke).  All of my friends utilize this trick because it's easy and cheap.  You can always grab free boxes of matches from bars and restaurants.  You just have to remember to pack them with you when you travel in a sealed bag (e.g., makeup or toiletries bag).

There are actually specific products that are targeted for this particular problem (e.g., trap-a-crap spray from poopourri.com) but why spend the extra money when you can just use matches that are basically free?

my experience taking uberBLACK to lax

I'm a fan of uber.  After years of terribly inconsistent and unreliable service from taxis in the Los Angeles area, it is refreshing to be able to get a car easily and reliably at a push of a button.  It's also nice to have the payment (and tip) handled behind the scenes so you don't have to fumble with cash at the end of your ride.

When I'm in town, I will usually use uberX which is cheaper than the more premium versions of uber (i.e., uberBLACK and uberSUV).  uberX is essentially a rideshare service where the drivers are not professional drivers (but do go through some sort of background check by uber).   However because they are not professional drivers, they are not technically allowed to drive customers to and from the airport (or at least that is what I understand from articles I've read on the subject matter).  Therefore, in order to utilize uber for airport transportation, one must utilize uberBLACK or uberSUV - which have flat rates for airport transportation.

shopping (aka bargaining) in istanbul

(Istanbul, Turkey).  I was only able to spend about 2 days in Istanbul during a Mediterranean Cruise, but I absolutely loved it!  The food, the gorgeous colors, the sights, the shopping!  I definitely have to return and spend some quality time exploring this vibrant city.

Gorgeous display at the Grand Bazaar.

Today, I’m focusing on my experience shopping in Istanbul.  Most people will immediately think of the Grand Bazaar which is an impressively large market filled with arts and crafts, jewelry, carpets, textiles … anything your little heart could desire!  It is so huge and hectic that it can be a bit overwhelming.  Most people only have a couple of hours to spend here, so unless you have specific items you are hunting for, you may as well just go with the flow and enjoy (but note where you should exit, because you do not want to get lost in there).

travel zen on tuesday - night sky over istanbul, turkey

A shot of Istanbul from the cruise ship.  I definitely have to return to this lovely place.  Here I am (literally) between Europe and Asia.

sazy rock's top 10 best restaurant dishes (to date) around the world

If you haven't figured it out yet, I really like to eat - and not necessarily healthy foods - when I travel. Eating while traveling makes me happy. In this first of my top 10 series, I will be sharing my top 10 restaurant dishes so far. I've excluded the US because I live there. I also reserve to change my mind about what should be on the top 10 tomorrow -- only because there's so much tasty food out there. So, without further ado, here they are:

1.  Various dishes at Azurmendi near Bilbao, Spain
This restaurant just outside of Bilbao served delicious, local, seasonal and beautiful food. The lobster on lobster dish was absolutely simple yet so tasty. The truffled egg was not simple but, biting into the yolk just showed how a great chef can elevate a simple egg into something ridiculously good. Oh, and the foie gras ash was so rich and creamy I thought I died and went to heaven. Okay, I loved a lot of dishes at Azurmendi, which I reviewed here. In fact, I'll just say that, in the past five years (and probably more), Azurmendi served the best dishes I have ever eaten anywhere (including in the United States).

Five of around 19 dishes served at Azurmendi. Clockwise from top left: lobster with lobster cornet,
foie gras ash with a block of foie gras underneath, squid, mullet, and egg yolk infused with black truffles.

Gran Reserva Jamon from Joselito's.

2.  Jamon Iberico de Bellota at Joselito's in Madrid, Spain
Technically, Joselito's is not a restaurant but a store where you can get Jamon Iberico to take home or eat in the store. When I visited, they offered different kinds of Jamon Iberico de Bellota, which came from black footed Iberian pig fed on acorns while freely roaming the dehesa of the Extremadura region of Spain. The best kind I tasted was the Grand Reserva, which was aged for up to five years before being carved. The resulting ham was nice and fatty (I'd like to think that the fat was good for me because you know, it's acorn fed). When I ate it, the thinly hand sliced piece practically melted in my mouth.

survival tips for djemaa el-fna, marrakesh

The heart of Marrakesh is the (in)famous Djemaa el-Fna, a large open public square that takes a life of its own when the sun goes down.

Djemaa el-Fna alive with lights, sounds and smell.

Food Stalls

Good rule of thumb is to eat where the crowd eats at, especially the local crowd. Although the square is very touristy, many local Moroccans also come to partake in the excellent and cheap food offerings here. I recommend:

# 94 is filled with local men,
we got some raised eyebrows when we squeezed in

stall #98

ostia antica: an easy day trip near rome, italy by guest blogger wanderingyogi

Explore Ostia Antica's
well-preserved buildings.

Ahh, Rome.  The Eternal City.  No one disputes that Rome is a glorious place to visit but if you want a mini-break from the relentless hordes of tourists and hustle and bustle of city life, why not take a short day trip outside the city for a bit of a breather?  Imagine the Roman Forum and Palatino without the crowds, and you have Ostia Antica, an amazingly well-preserved and sprawling ruin that is a short 45 minute train ride outside of Rome.  

What is Ostia Antica?  

The open air theatre is still used
today for theatrical productions.

It is an ancient port city that was founded in 4th century BC at the mouth (or ostium) of the Tiber River.  With a population of around 50,000 people, it served as a naval base of Rome, and later as a commercial harbor.  Ostia and a nearby artificial harbor named Portus served as the main harbors for Rome, approximately 25 kilometers away up the Tiber River.  Grains, salt, slaves and other goods were all received or exported from Ostia.  A compliment of storehouses, shipping offices, and workshops arose to support the needs of the port.  Apartments, domus (houses of the upper class), public baths and communal latrines, hotels, bars, shops, bakeries, temples and shrines, and a necropolis (burial grounds) were built to support the needs of the people.  In the 5th century AD, barbarian invasions and a malaria outbreak led to the abandonment of the city.  It was slowly buried by river silt which allowed for the amazing degree of preservation of the buildings.   

getting to know the usa: kansas city

Ribs and Brisket at Oklahoma Joe's

Captain Obvious alert: the USA is huge.  While I've gotten to know a lot of American cities, I am ashamed to say that there are still plenty that I have not even visited. Recently, I've been on a mission to do something about it, and this "Getting to Know the USA" series is an effort to highlight the many cool and wonderful things to see, do and eat around the country.

Let's start off with Kansas City.

First, there are two Kansas Cities - one in Missouri (KCM) and another in Kansas (KCK). But, they are close to each other so if you want to visit all 50 states, it would be easy to tick off two states in one visit.

Second, the food, and especially the barbecue, rocks. Seriously. KCM has a storied barbecue history - every fall, it hosts the American Royal World Series of Barbecue, which is the world's largest barbecue festival!  Plus, it also hosts a Kosher Barbecue Festival.  So, it is unsurprising that the BBQ joints along the Kansas and Missouri border are delicious. These are my favorites:

restaurant review: din tai fung - the taiwan original is still the best!

they even have a mascot!

Din Tai Fung is famous worldwide for their soup dumplings, which are delicious pillows of savory meat and soup broth that magically fill my mouth with happiness.  According to their website (www.dintaifungusa.com) they have locations in the United States, Taiwan, China, Japan, Singapore, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Australia and Thailand.  I’ve personally had them in the USA (Arcadia location), Taiwan, Japan, Singapore and Thailand, and I have to say that the original location in Taiwan (Xinyi Road – no. 194, Sec. 2, Xinyi Rd., Da-an District) is still the best!  The texture, taste and temperature of the soup dumplings at that location are consistently perfect.  And I mean perfect.  The dumplings don’t even burn your mouth – just pop them in there and enjoy! 

travel zen on tuesday - moonrise in zambales, philippines

Interesting fact:

all about the sazerac

A sazerac from Kingfish.

I've had many favorite cocktails throughout my (mid)life time.  There was a time long ago when I liked tequila based cocktails (or just tequila). Then, I switched to vodka based cocktails (or just vodka).

Now that I am a bit older, my palette and attitude towards cocktails have changed.  I enjoy my spirits for their taste and not as a path towards inebriation.  For the best part of a decade, my go-to cocktail has been the Sazerac.  So, what is a Sazerac?

Sazerac is the official cocktail of New Orleans. Sorry folks, it is not the Hurricane - that overly sweet drink Bourbon Street party makers like to order so much. Yukk! I like Sazeracs so much that my handle, Sazy Rock, pays homage to it.

A few quick facts about the Sazerac:

african safari- luxury itinerary on an economical budget

In Spring of 2012, I took my dream vacation to Africa- Victoria Falls, Chobe National Park, Okavango Delta, and Cape Town- with an added bonus trip to Paris.  Here was my itinerary:

Day 1- Travel day

• 12 hr flight from LAX (LA) to LHR (Heathrow)

Day 2- Travel day

• 8 hour layover at LHR; check-in at Yotel in T4
• 12 hr flight from LHR to Johannesburg, SA (JNB)

summer picnic at millenium park

Cloud Gate (aka the "bean") at Millennium Park.

(Chicago, Illinois).  If you have the time between visiting the Navy Pier, the Art Institute of Chicago, and taking an architectural boat tour of Chicago - all worthwhile tourist attractions - try to have a leisurely picnic at Millennium Park, which is located in the Loop community area of Chicago.  Check out their events calendar when you visit because there's always something fun going on - art & design showcases, free concerts, etc.  Then pick up some food and have a picnic at the park with the locals (or other visitors).  It's a lovely way to spend an afternoon and just enjoy the city flowing around you.

When we went, we picked up a selection of tortas, guacamole and chips, and churros from Xoco (a Rick Bayless restaurant) and wine and cheese from Pastoral on our way towards the park.  The food at Xoco was wonderful (way better than Red O in Los Angeles which has consistently disappointed) and the selection of cheese and breads was truly impressive at Pastoral.  With our feast in hand, we lounged on the grassy lawn and listened to a range of hip hop and world music.  (Perhaps one day you will be lucky enough to see sazy rock perform her world music dance - it's quite a sight.)

Sometimes it's better not to be rushing from one tourist attraction to the next so you can literally stop to smell the roses (or in this case, delicious churros).

walking across the brooklyn bridge

(New York, New York).  One of the nicest free experiences in New York has to be walking across 

the Brooklyn Bridge and enjoying the amazing views of the Manhattan skyline (particularly at sunset if you time it properly).  The Brooklyn Bridge connects Manhattan and Brooklyn and there is a dedicated pedestrian lane where people can walk, jog or roller blade over the East River.  For specific information on how to get on the bridge from either end, check out this article on About.com.

I usually have 2 itineraries when I want to cross the bridge.

travel tip: doing laundry on the go

If you are like me and hate to check in luggage, then you may be faced with the need to do some laundry during your longer travels – especially underwear and socks.  I usually pack a little bit of laundry detergent if I'm going anywhere for longer than a week.  I opt for powder detergent in a ziplock bag and luckily this has never been mistaken for any illegal substances.  If you pack liquid detergent, make sure it’s in a leakproof container. (At asian markets, you can also get solid laundry soap bars which are handy for travel.)

By bringing detergent, this enables me to pack less underwear, socks and light tops.  I simply soak the dirty item for a few minutes in soapy water, then rinse well, roll in a towel tightly to wring out excess water, and then hang to dry.  If you think ahead and pack quick-dry or lighter fabrics, they should dry relatively quickly especially if you are in a hot location. 

Sazy Rock told me the little bottles of hotel shampoo/conditioner work almost as well so if you forget (or don’t want) to pack detergent, just use those.  I recently got a Febreze/Gain spray that is supposed to “freshen” your clothing.  I will be taking it on my trip to Italy and will report back if it is effective!

You can also bring your own clothesline, but I've never felt that I needed it.  Dentite is loaning me hers for my upcoming trip so I guess I'll see if it's worth it.

travel zen tuesday- ait ben haddou, morocco

Ksar at Ait Ben Haddou, Morocco

restaurant review: husk (charleston, south carolina)

On a recent trip to Charleston, South Carolina, the hubby and I drank and dined at Husk Restaurant.  He's eaten there before but, it was my first time.  He's hyped it to me so much I felt certain it was going to suck.  Well, it didn't. We had an enjoyable evening and, while one dish had a flaw, most everything we ate were tasty.  Husk locally sourced all the ingredients (they proudly listed the farms from which all the food came from on a chalkboard near the entrance), which I think made the quality of food so high. I am convinced I gained five pounds after the meal because we ate so much food.  I listed everything we ate below.  You've been warned.

Bread and butter.