neighborhood guide- favorite lunch spots (koreatown & surrounds) a-l

I am fortunate to work around Koreatown and within 15 minute drive time to a vast array of quick service, budget-friendly (typically around $10) but most importantly yummy lunch spots. Here are some of my favorites in alphabetically order (A-L):

Alcove Cafe- Los Feliz
1929 Hilhurst Ave, Los Angeles

Whenever I want a break from the dreary office environment, I escape to Alcove Cafe. Sitting under a shade outside surrounded by other diners who don't dress like they hold a regular office job and an occasional C-list celebrity makes me feel like I truly got away. The typical American cafe fare of sandwiches, brunch items and salads are good but I love the desserts the most. I usually alternate between the turkey pesto panino and shrimp salad but everything is good.

There's valet parking in front; plenty of street parking available in streets adjacent to Hilhurst. As long as you avoid coming exactly at noon, I've never had to wait for a table. Most meals are in $10-20 range.

daycation in marina del rey (paddleboarding, water bus, fisherman's village, etc.)

Paddleboarding on a sunny day!

(Marina Del Rey, USA).  Like most Californians, I live only about 20 minutes from the beach and yet I rarely ever venture to the westside to enjoy the ocean.  I think most people assume all Californians spend their days on sandy beaches being tanned and sporty, but that is really only true for a tiny percentage of people who are lucky enough to live right next to the water.  But now that summer is almost over, I was determined to enjoy my proximity to the ocean.   And what better way to do that then to give paddle boarding a try?

outlet shopping in florence at the mall

(Florence, Italy).  Outlet shopping isn't for everyone, but I love it!  The hunt for a good deal is positively invigorating!  I admit it's usually a pain to get to the outlets as they are always inexplicably far.  In addition, it takes time and patience to carefully sort through the deals amidst the throngs of shoppers and stand in line to pay.  But at the end of the day, when I gaze upon all my purchases and count all my savings - it's totally worth it!  It's even better while traveling because I can justify my purchases even more - hey, I'm on vacation!

day trip to siena, italy

(Siena, Italy).  We were excited to take a day trip to Siena.  We didn't know much about the city other than that it was a medieval city built atop a hill.  I was told that the Duomo* in Siena was one of the most beautiful in Italy and also, that they have horse races in the Piazza del Campo* during the Palio.  We missed the race (which had just happened a few days before our arrival), but I'm guessing it would have been a madhouse.

travel zen on tuesday - baa atoll, maldives

White sands, blue skies, clear waters. The beach was also fairly empty.

top 5 sights in yellowstone national park

Yellowstone National Park.

Yellowstone National Park is absolutely gorgeous. In fact, I feel compelled to emphasize that none of the photos in this post (or any of my posts, for that matter) have been photoshopped or filtered. The park is simply a home to so many vibrant colors and so many otherworldly (and worldly) landscapes. 

In addition to its beauty, Yellowstone has the distinctive honor of being the world's oldest national park. Mr. Sazy Rock and I had the pleasure of visiting Yellowstone this Summer. While the Summer crowds were no fun, the park's beauty still shone through. 

If you only have a short period to visit the park, which is a shame because there are a lot of beautiful spots in this very large park, make sure you check out my top 5 "can't miss" sights.

1. The Grand Prismatic Spring

Grand Prismatic Spring.

marrakesh - highlights

Marrakesh has a lot more to offer than its world-famous souqs and Djemma el-Fna. It's an impressive imperial city that has a well developed tourism industry while holding onto traditional culture.  Here are my top 6 must-see tourists spots.

• Medersa Ben Youssef- medieval theological school with stunning stucco and woodwork. Famous for its courtyard with a reflecting pool and 2nd floor rooms overlooking it. The finely detailed craftsmanship on display is truly remarkable.
  

hotel review: castello vicchiomaggio

Castello di Vicchiomaggio atop the hill.

(Greve in Chianti, Italy).  When I was looking for a place to stay in Chianti, I was torn between 3 choices - Borgo Argenina (a Tuscan farmhouse), Villa Bordoni and Castello di Vicchiomaggio.  Ultimately after reading many reviews, I chose Castello di Vicchiomaggio for its location and the pictures of its relaxing infinity pool.

Castello di Vicchiomaggio is a 12th century fortress perched atop a hill overlooking the Greve Valley.  We were told that Leonardo da Vinci stayed there while painting the Mona Lisa, so there is definitely a lot of history to the place.  But more importantly (for me) - it was close to Florence (about 30 minutes) and within driving distance to Siena and San Gimignano.  Moreover, there are wine tastings at the hotel (which is a working winery) and there was the pool which looked so inviting. I imagined that it would be perfect on a hot summer's day after a day of drinking.  We booked a Superior Double Room on the 2nd floor.  Parking is free for hotel guests and there is free Wi-Fi available in public areas.

So, did the reality of our stay match what I imagined in my head?

greve in chianti - highlights, tips and recommendations

(Greve in Chianti).  

Day One

After the whirlwind of activities (and walking) all over Rome and Florence, we were ready to dial it down and relax!  The drive into Greve in Chianti was pretty easy and quick, and we were glad to arrive at the peaceful and beautiful surroundings of our hotel - the Castello di Vicchiomaggio* (review will be up tomorrow).  

driving in italy

I've been to Italy several times but have never rented a car before since I am always wary of driving in a foreign country.  However, several of my friends have told me about their lovely experiences driving in Tuscany.  Because of their effusive recommendations, my husband and I decided to spend a few days in the Chianti region in Tuscany and rent a car.

This is how we did it...

travel zen on tuesday - street scene in lhasa, tibet

This picture was taken in fall of 2007 before the March 2008 uprising and subsequent crackdown.

what to expect in indian airports

India is huge. It has 27 states. So, if you plan to see more than one state, you may have to fly to get from point A to point B. (You could also take the train but that usually means traveling a minimum of eight hours.) If you have to fly, expect a little bit of craziness. The more you know, the better prepared you’ll be. So expect the following at Indian airports:

Travelers trying to get in to 
the Goa Airport.

1.  Get yourself to the airport with plenty of time to spare. When Mr. Sazy Rock and I flew from Goa to Cochin, there was a crowd outside the airport with no identifiable line. It looked like a mob scene. Imagine hundreds of people with all manners of luggage and luggage carts trying to get through one door. It wasn’t fun. The only reason we made it on time was because Mr. SR insisted on leaving Candolim for the Goa airport three hours before our flight. (I know!)

2.  Print your itinerary and, if available, your boarding pass too. Don't wait to print your itinerary or boarding pass (if available online) at the airport. In order for you to get in to the airport, you need to show an airport employee a copy of your itinerary and/or boarding pass. But, don’t put those things away yet.  You will be asked to show them over and over again. In almost all our in-country flights and when we left India, we had to show those documents:

restaurant review: petit trois

Recently, Martinikitty and I with a 3rd friend (not Sazy Rock who was on a road trip) tried new hot spot (opened 7/24) Petit Trois in Hollywood. We showed up early (5:15!) on a Wednesday evening to grab three coveted bar stools.

Before diving into the food and ambiance, here's the 411 you should be aware before going to Petit Trois:

hotel review: montebello splendid hotel in florence

(Florence, Italy). After numerous hours researching tripadvisor and expedia reviews, I decided to book the Montebello Splendid Hotel through expedia for 4 nights in a Deluxe Double Room including free wireless internet and breakfast buffet.  

 The pictures on the website looked lovely and it appeared to be located south of the train station near the Teatro Comunale and Ponte Vecchio.  It was described as an intimate boutique hotel located in a "peaceful upscale neighborhood".  This sounded perfect because I knew we would be doing lots of sightseeing and museum hopping in Florence so it would be nice to be close enough to the attractions but far enough to have a restful sanctuary.

Was it everything as described on the website?

florence - highlights, tips & recommendations

After several hectic, but fun, days in Rome, we hopped on a train for Florence.  The ride was comfortable and fast (about 1 ½ hours) and before I could even take a nap, we had arrived.  I have to admit that I’ve always preferred Florence over Rome.  I think it’s such a beautiful, charming place – not to mention the amazing artwork, history and food!  I’ve yet to have a bad meal in Florence.

So what did we end up doing (and eating)?

travel zen on tuesday - florence, italy

Florence - one of my favorite cities in the world!  I think I took this atop the Piazzale Michelangelo.  I like to take a taxi to the top and then slowly walk down to take in the views and burn off some calories (from all the pasta and gelato I have eaten).

getting to know the usa: charleston, south carolina

Charleston in the Summer.

Getting to know Charleston, South Carolina has been a very educational experience.  After all, it was one of thirteen colonies to declare its independence from Great Britain, the first shots in the American Civil War were fired from an island near this fair city, and it was the largest market for slave traders.  There's also lots of pirate history, including a visit by the infamous Blackbeard.  So, this mini-guide includes my favorite sights where you can learn all sorts of things relating to American history.

Additionally (and perhaps, more importantly), in getting to know Charleston, I learned that Charleston has got some good eating! Hurrah!

Without, further ado, these are the things you need to know when visiting Charles Towne - whoops! I mean Charleston (see what I did there? I engaged in some colonial humour).

overnight camping & camel trekking in the sahara desert (erg chebbi)

In February 2014, Sazy Rock and I spent two wondrous days camel trekking and two fun nights camping in Berber tents in Erg Chebbi, Sahara Desert.

Transportation
We took an 10-hr overnight Supratours direct bus from Fes to Merzouga, a little desert hamlet that is the gateway to Erg Chebbi (one of two giant sand dunes located on the Moroccan side of the Sahara Desert). The bus left at 8:45pm (although original departure time was supposed to be 9pm).  Bus was a typical "luxury" travel coach with reclining seats and a/c. We had seats just behind the driver and between the blaring radio and headlights from on-coming traffic, it was difficult to get any rest. In the middle of the night, there's a "lunch" break of 45 minutes. Even though it was 2am, the bus stop had an open restaurant and clean restrooms for use.

We arrived early around 5:00am, 2 hours ahead of schedule.  Somehow, the owner of the auberge Le Petite Prince (the overnight camping/camel trekking outfit we hired) was aware of this fact and came out to collect us at the bus stop. If he hadn't come, we would have had no way to get in touch via phone (had no phone number nor access to a phone) or a way to find it on our own with an address!

Other tourists arrive at Merzouga via rental car or taxi service. For the length of the drive, it really is best to take the Supratours bus. It is economical, efficient, convenient and clean.

hotel review: st. regis in rome (on starwood points!)

(Rome, Italy).  The first hotel in our honeymoon tour of Italy was the St. Regis in Rome.  We normally don't splurge so much on accommodations but because we were diligent in hoarding our Starwood points, we were able to get 3 nights free!  We got a non-smoking Superior Room (which I'm guessing is the most basic room) with a King-sized bed. 

The cab ride from the airport took about 30 minutes, but we were sort of tricked into taking an unofficial car that ended up costing us way more (120 euros) and my husband didn't realize that he didn't need to tip, so the driver basically got a huge windfall.  That was annoying, but then we weren't going to let it taint our trip.  The ride was quick and comfortable and we didn't have to wait in the long taxi line in the airport, so I guess I can't begrudge the driver.

rome - highlights, tips and recommendations

Vittorio Emanuele II Monument.

(Rome, Italy).   My husband and I spent three lovely days in the bustling city of Rome recently.  It was his first time in the city (as well as his first time in Italy) so I did my best to play "tour guide" for him.  He wanted to see all the touristy sites and I wanted him to enjoy the wonderful food and wines of Italy so we had a lot to pack in!

So what did we end up doing?

travel zen on tuesday - dubrovnik, croatia

Looking out from the old walls of Dubrovnik.

Fun fact:

top 5 reasons to visit wellington, new zealand

Wellingtonian activity.

Most folks who visit New Zealand spend a lot of their time in the South Island -- and I don't blame them. The South Island is beautiful and full of fun activities. That being said, I hope I can make the case for why travelers should not skip the North Island, and particularly, Wellington.

1.  It's a pretty town. Just imagine yourself in a small but cosmopolitan town next to the water and with hills overlooking the city. Many art installations dot the boardwalk by the waterfront. From the boardwalk, you can see kayakers, joggers, and other folks out and about. When you go up the hill either via furnicular, car or your own two feet, you can visit the botanical garden with not only beautiful flora but also an awesome Henry Moore sculpture you can get up close and personal with. There aren't any tall skyscrapers (probably as high as 35 stories) but the building architectures range from your funky beehive to gothic to modern. The streets are ridiculously clean and the air crisp. Now, wasn't that a pretty town?

things to do in fes, morocco

The magnificent imperial city of Fes and surroundings are must-visit sites when planning a trip to Morocco. Sazy Rock and I spent four days in Fes to kick off our Moroccan adventure. Although we had two days of guided tours, the remainder of our time was spent getting lost in the medina's maze and taking in the sights, sounds, smell and taste of the medieval city that still pulses with an heartbeat of a begone time. Watching middle-aged men going about their daily business dressed in djellaba, long loose fitting outer role with attached pointy hood, or women in hijab (headscarf) or burqa (full body and face covering) going about their grocery shopping, let you know this is a place where locals still work and live their traditional way of life and not just another commercialized tourist spot where they dress traditionally for the benefit of tourists.

Day tour of Medina (el-Bali or Old Fes)

Old Fes is a medieval city with tall walls creating a labyrinth of narrow alleyways only wide enough for a donkey cart and occasional motorcycle.  Due to this fact, you can escape the noise and pollution of modern vehicles and better immerse yourself in the ancient way of life. Some highlights include:

• Bab Bou Jeloud (Blue Gate) - the most famous of the gates that guard the medina and a very convenient location to be dropped off by taxi and for a representative from your dar or riad to come greet you. Exterior is blue for the color of Fes, and interior is green for the color of Islam.

• Souqs and craft guilds-  check out the spice, henna, brassmaker, shoemakers and carpenters souqs for fun shopping and wonderful picture taking opportunities.
• Medersa Bou Inania & Water Clock - a theological college and mosque, it is an excellent example of Merenid architecture with every surface decorated with colorful geometric zellij mosaic tilework, intricately carved plaster stucco and wood. It is one of few religious sites open to non-Muslims so don't miss out on the opportunity to explore this gem.
  
• Kairaouine Mosque - the second largest and perhaps the holiest in Morocco. It's attached university may be the world's oldest. It is not open to non-Muslims but its splendor may be peaked at from its open main gate and its distinct cluster of green tile rooftops can be picked out from any aerial view of Fes. 
  
• Tanneries - the most famous site in Fes. The pungent smell will tell you when you are close. Most leather shops will allow you rooftop access for a birds-eye view in exchange for a token fee or purchase of their wares. For a small fee (10MAD), the tanners will also allow you onto the factory grounds.