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Istanbul 3 Day Itinerary

Where the East meets the West! This Istanbul 3 day itinerary is a must follow and suggested if you want to see the most of Istanbul in 3 days. I had the opportunity to visit this impressive and progressive city in the late summer where the average temperature was 75 degrees. Perfect for sightseeing and beautiful evening walks. Please note that Turkey is a country that requires visas for many visitors from many countries including United States, Mexico, Canada and more. Click here for a complete list. Please also know that Istanbul is a metropolitan city, but many of its inhabitants are very conservative so women should dress appropriate an avoid short dresses, shorts and exposed shoulders. Many of its religious attractions will also not allow entrance if you are not dressed properly so bring a light jacket or a shall to cover up! Also if you are into shopping bring an extra carry on bag. You will LOVE many things at the Grand Bazaar and wish you had a bigger bag to take everything home in.

DAY 1

We arrived to Istanbul on a Sunday morning. After grabbing a cab (about 50 TL) from the designated airport taxi stops we checked in to the hotel. I recommend taking a quick shower to freshen yourself up and get some energy for the days sightseeing.
A RREPRESENTS THE AREA I BOOKED MY HOTEL

B. Topaki Palace (Museum, 20 TL) Closed Tuesdays. Open 9am- 5pm
Why visit
• World heritage site
• One of Istanbul’s most known attractions. Beautiful gardens.
• Once the center of a great empire

Take a cab to Istiklal Avenue
C. Istiklal Avenue (Park and outdoors, Free)
Why visit
• Exquisite pedestrian shopping street and many places to eat
• Have dinner here at one of many local restaurants. We ate at 360 Restaurant. Loved the view and the service. The food is “international” from sushi to steak to pastas! 3:5 for the food. 5 for the view!
• A VERY busy street in the evenings. Be careful with pick pocketters.
• One of the most famous avenues in Istanbul

Take a walk to Taksim Square 5mins
D. Taksim Square (Park and outdoors, Free)
Why visit
• Popular meeting place pay attention to local news if there are any demonstrations or not.
• Busy transportation hub

Take a cab to Ortakoy 8mins
E. Ortakoy (Neighborhood/ Nightlife, Free)
Why visit
• Istanbul’s most famous celebrity filled night club is Reina which is in this area.
• Busy transportation hub

DAY 2

One of the things I like to do whenever I go to a new city is to take a full day guided tour around the city. I recommend doing the same whether it is a guide tour with stops or one of the hop-on hop-off bus tours around the city. I feel like doing this gives you a very good idea of the city where certain things are and where you are geographically. I also like to have a guide when I visit important landmarks to learn the history behind what I am visiting. For Istanbul I decided to use True Blue Tour Company to do my Istanbul tour. I found them on Tripadvisor and they had many good reviews and their price point was very reasonable for all that they do. Below is the itinerary for the full day tour package.

PICK UP FROM HOTEL
With True Blue Tours they arrange a direct hotel pick up
09:00-5:30pmFull Day Trip (75 Euro)

Tips
• Get a guided tour of the city. We had a Mercedes sprinter van for 4 people! Talk about 1st class touring!
• Visiting a large city where people do not speak your native language can be intimidating.

Cable Car to Pierre Loti: Enjoy the beautiful view from the cable car as you climb the hill to the cafe named French writer Pierre Loti, birth name Louis Marie Julien Viaud (1850 -1923). This picture was taken from above this hill. Beautiful view!

Rustem Pasha Mosque: It was designed by Mimar Sinan (“Sinan the Architect”) for Grand Vizier Rustem Pasha (who married one of the daughters of Suleyman the Magnificent, Princess Mihrimah). Its building took place from 1561 to 1563. The mosque is famous for its exquisite Iznik tiles, set in beautiful floral and geometric designs, which cover not only the facade of the porch but also the mihrab, minbar, walls, and columns.
Cruise on the Bosphoros : The Cruise on the Bosphorus which will give you the best chance to view the finest palaces and the pavalions along the shores.

Rumeli Fortress ( From the sea): The biggest fortification of Istanbul can be seen clearly during our Bosphorus Cruise.
Lunch in local restaurant.
Underground Cistern : Built by Justinian after 532, the Basilica Cistern stored water for the Great Palace and nearby buildings. Lost to memory, it was rediscovered by Petrus Gyllius, who came to Constantinople in search of Byzantine monuments. Gyllius, who noticed that local people got their water by lowering buckets through holes in the floors of their houses, found an entrance and thus put it back on the map.

Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet Mosque): This mosque was built by Sultan Ahmet I during 1609-1616 in the square carrying his name in Istanbul. It is the only mosque in Turkey with six minarets. The central dome is 43 m in height and is 33.4 m in diameter. 260 windows surround the mosque. Due to its beautiful blue, green and white tilings it has been named the “Blue Mosque” by Europeans. The inscriptions were made by Seyyid Kasım Gubari.

Roman Hippodrome and Obelisk: The ancient Hippodrome, scene of chariot races and the centre of Byzantine civic life, stands in the area that is now in front of the Blue Mosque, and now part of Sultanahmet. Of the ornaments which once decorated it, only three remain: The Obelisk of Theodosius, the bronze Serpentine Column, and the Column of Constantine. Remains of the curved end of the Hippodrome wall can be seen on the southwest side of the three.

DAY 3

Taking the tour yesterday really helped because now we can head to places we did not yet visit or return to areas we liked and want more time in them.
LEAVE HOTEL –
Take Tram Line T1 to Sultanahmet stop
A. Hagia Sophia (Museum, Fee to get in 20 TL) Closed Mondays. Open 9am- 5pm
Why Visit
• Istanbul’s most famous attraction
• One of the world’s architectural wonders.
• Make this your very first stop of your day. Go early to avoid the crowds.
• Unique site to see two religions under one roof. Quite spectacular!
• Religious site so make sure you are wear appropriate clothing. No bare skin showing.

Take a walk to Sultanahmet Park
B. Sultanahmet Park (Park and outdoors, Free)
Why visit
• Amazing view on Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque
• Beautiful park
Take a walk to Grand Bazaar –

The Grand Bazaar

C. Grand Bazaar (Shopping, Free) Open 8:30am- 7pm
Why visit
• One of the worlds most famous markets!
• I am making this an early morning shopping trip to buy & head back to hotel to store.
• You will want to buy and bring everything home with you! I did! I bought cool bronze and glass lights for my home!

Take a cab to Eminönü Neighborhood
D. Eminönü Neighborhood (Park and outdoors, Free)
Why visit
• Oldest neighborhood of Istanbul
• The center of the city
Lunch time

Take a cab to Süleymaniye Mosque
E. Süleymanive Mosque (Church, Free)
Why visit
• Second largest mosque in Istanbul
• Masterpiece of star architect Sinan
• Religious site so make sure you are wear appropriate clothing. No bare skin showing.

Take a walk to Beyazit Square – 25’
F. Beyazit Square (Park and outdoors, Free)
Why visit
• Grand open space
• Istanbul’s principal meeting place
•
Take a walk to Spice Bazaar – 25’

G. Spice Bazaar (Market. Shopping Free)
Why visit
• Second largest covered shopping complex after the Grand Bazaar.

Spice Bazaar

• Spices, dried fruits and more!

ENJOY THE SUNSET HERE
Take a walk to Galata Bridge – 15’
H. Galata Bridge (Monument, Free)
Why visit
• Istanbul’s great landmark
• I am a fan of sunsets and this is an AMAZING place to view it from.
• Stunning view over the Golden Horn
Take a walk to Galata Tower – 15’
I. Galata Tower (Monument, 10 TL) Open 9am – 8pm
Why visit
• The best 360° views of the city
• It is worth the money to go up the tower. Facebook pics!!!
•

END OF DAY 3

by CasaDeWinn

Where Should I Stay In New York

Where should I stay in New York? If you are visiting NYC I am sure you have asked yourself this many times. WIth a city so small in size you wonder why it is so hard to figure out where you should stay in New York. It is quite intimidating when you do not know the city. It is like finding a needle in a haystack. So I hope this NYC hotel guide can help. I hope this task of finding a hotel room to book can be made easier with my where you should stay in New York Guide. If you need help or would like to know How To get cheap flights I detail it here. If you only have 48 hours in New York click here to check out right my recommended itinerary to see this magnificent city if all you have is 48 hours.

Knowing a little bit about the New York City neighborhoods can help you while you are searching for a place to stay.

Where should I stay in New York

Staying anywhere south of Lincoln Square and 86^th street on the upper east side is a pretty safe bet. Manhattan is so small you can easily reach any area of the city that you want to see. The first time I ever visited NYC I went on a spur of the moment weekend trip while I was in college I stayed near Time Square and walked all the way down to soho! Some neighborhoods I would suggest not staying in are: East Village, Chinatown, ABC city, lower east side, little Italy and 8^th avenue between 34^th – 42^nd street is full of porn shops and liquor stores not very pleasant to walk back to at night.

In NYC you will find an array of hotels to choose from. There are national and worldwide brands, boutique hotels and small economy hotels. You may be scared by the cost of these hotels. If you have been doing some hotel research and trying to book a place you have already learned that this is not a cheap place to rent a hotel room. Even the crummiest places and those far from the city could easily run you $100 a night. For the budget conscious traveler I suggest visiting NYC on a Sunday thru Thursday. There really is no low season here as there are always tourist, but the higher seasons are December, May thru August. Some of my favorite budget hotels are:

Hilton Garden Inn – Midtown West

Hilton New York- Fashion District

The Jane Hotel- West Side along Hudson

Four Points Sheraton– West Village

The Pod 39 Hotel- Murray Hill

The Cosmopolitan- Tribeca

The Bentley Hotel- Upper East Side

Lately a new thing that has taken a lot of popularity is New Yorkers putting up there apartments for rent via sites like http://airbnb.com . I personally have rented my apartment via this website when I would be away on my own vacation. Pay attention to the neighborhood they have their apartment for rent and read there reviews.

For those people who want to pretend to be trust fund babies or get a glimpse of the glitzy NY lifestyle here are my top picks for the coolest hotels you want to be seen in and that will not deplete your 401K fund. These hotels come stocked with luxe amenities like feather-filled duvets, 42-inch plasma TVs, L’Occitane products and Skype/Bluetooth-enabled phones

The Gansevoort – Meatpacking District

The Standard – Meatpacking District

The Thompson – Lower East Side

Night – Time Square

Ace Hotel – Midtown South

If you have no budget and you are living the rich and famous lifestyle there here is a list of New Yorks most luxurious hotels.

The St. Regis- Midtown East

The Plaza – Midtown East

The Mandarin Oriental – Upper West Side

Trump Soho – Soho

Four Seasons New York– Midtown East

The Peninsula – Midtown East

So whether your way is to go budget or live a little New York has a something for all taste! Enjoy your trip and again if you need a little guide check out my 48 hours in NYC guide RIGHT HERE.

EAT Well and Travel Often!

by CasaDeWinn

Buzz & Bella, Fun Places & Things To Do, Travel

Charleston to Savannah

From Charleston to Savannah this is a great 3 day itinerary to Charleston SC and Savannah Georgia with dogs! Yup I brought my little clan along for the vacation. Being in the architectural and design industry I have a love for great architecture and design so visiting these two cities was a little treat for me. This is an itinerary for 3 full days in southern hospitality of Charleston to Savannah. So the food lover and architecture and a little old world charm this is a great trip to take if you live in an urban area. In this trip we spent 2 days in Charleston to Savannah for 1 day. Unless you love old colonial architecture then Savannah, Georgia may just be a great day trip rather than an entire week or even a weekend.

A little bit of advice before I go into a suggested 3 day itinerary both these cities hotel pricing is rather high considering the size of the city and the lack of 4 star accommodations. In fact, the lack of hotel accommodations is what drives the prices up. You will find plenty of bed & breakfast and small hotel chains that offering lodging. I suggest going to sites like http://hotels.com or http://expedia.com to book a hotel.

2^nd tip is if you are on a diet or cannot consume heavy fried foods then you may want to pack a lunch! Just kidding! Truth is the south is not known for “healthy” food and you will experience a major withdrawal of vegetables, salads and anything grilled or steamed. So be prepared and be warned. I am a foodie, but one thing I cannot do is fried foods so I had to find many alternatives to the fried foods.

Day 1- Charleston, Isle of Palms and Downtown

Morning – We traveled to Charleston with out two Boston Terriers, so it was a “family” trip. No I do not have many suggestions for things to do with kids I will share with you one place you MUST go to and bring your four legged kids to.

Visit James Island County Park. This dog oasis is awesome! I wish I could transport it to my home town so I have somewhere just as cool to take my puppies to. Admission to the park is a whopping $1 and parking is free. The park actually has much more than just a dog park with nature preserve, trails, beaches and places to play sports. We came here in the early part of the day. Those are my two dogs in the pic the white one to the left and the flying black Boston Terrier.

If you do not havpuppies head to Folly beach which is just 5 minutes south of here. Folly beach is the more “popular” beach for tourist. Has a board walk and places to lounge and enjoy the sun.

Mid day- We headed north of Charleston to one of my favorite beaches Isle Of Palms.

On our way there we stopped to have lunch at one of our favorite fast food places that unfortunately only exist in the south Raising Canes. Best chicken fingers ever!! My boyfriend is from New Orleans where it originated so we are a bit partial to it. Once at Isle of Palms I suggest heading to the north side of the beach anywhere north of 27^th avenue but south or 41^st avenue. Parking here is free and you can avoid the crowds and chill with the locals. This beach is dog friendly. Woof-woof! So my Buzz and Bella came along. The water was incredibly warm and just the perfect amount of waves to frolic in the beach or boogie board if you wanted to.

Evening– We headed to downtown Charleston and had dinner at Poogan’s Porch, on Queen Street. I ate fried alligator here! WTH was I thinking?? The food and service were 5 stars! highly recommend making reservation or you will be waiting a long time. Hyman’s Seafood restaurant is also a great place for low-country cuisine. Also be prepared for a long wait. The cool thing is they do hand out crab fish and other fried seafood to those waiting outside to be seated. After dinner we walked along the board walk near Waterfront Park and enjoyed the calmness of the city. We happened to be there on a forth of July so we enjoyed the fireworks overlooking the Arthur Ravenel Jr. bridge.

Day 2 – Savannah Day Trip

Savannah is approximately a 2 hour car ride from Charleston. It is an easy commute and on a holiday weekend we experienced no traffic. I recommend taking a tour around the city. We personally used Old Savannah Tours as our choice. Guess what? They are pet friendly! So our Buzz and Bella traveled along with us throughout the day.

This is a great choice to get in and around Savannah. You can get off and get back on at multiple spots throughout the city. Make sure you take some time to stop and enjoy one of the beautiful squares. Drink a cold drink on a bench with someone as you people watch and take in the uniqueness and beauty of this little city.

Make sure you head down to River street and city market. Both are a great place full of people watching, live music, gift shops, restaurants and more! We grabbed dinner here at the Shrimp Factory.

Day 3 – Isle of Palms and Charleston

This days itinerary can be reversed meaning go to the beach during the day and Charleston in the afternoon. You decide but this is what we did.

Day – We stayed in downtown Charleston and walked along King street which is full of specialty shops and places to eat. You will have plenty to see if you just relax and enjoy wandering around the city. Head to Battery Park known for its beautiful homes that line the street.

Fort Sumter National Monument — the location of the official start to the Civil War — is accessible via the Fort Sumter Ferry Terminal on Sullivan Island (20 minutes from downtown Charleston).

Downtown Charleston

Afternoon – We couldn’t resist going back to Isle of Palms for more beach fun! We arrived this day to the beach around 5pm. I know kind of weird to go so late, but to my surprise it was still gorgeous outside! The water was incredibly warm in fact we stayed and swam until the sun was setting. What can be more romantic than a sunset at the beach?? Not a whole lot! Afterwards we headed to the cutest little cantina south of Isle of Palms to Sullivans Island called Taco Mamacita. It doesn’t beat my southern California Mexican tacos, but it wasn’t bad at all. The atmosphere was great and it was a wonderful way to end a nice 3 day vacation to the area.

Remember to EAT Well and TRAVEL Often! 🙂 The Nguyens!

by CasaDeWinn

Fun Places & Things To Do, Travel

Italy In Two Weeks

Italy is an incredible country with so much to see and do. Imagining spending only a few days would be a travesty, but Italy in two weeks can be quite enjoyable. I have had the fortune to travel to Italy two times this post is about my most recent trip where I revisited certain must see places and explored new places. I have detailed my Italy in two weeks trip below.

I have traveled to Italy in late September and in the spring, both have turned out to be wonderful times to visit. If I had a suggestion for you I would travel in September after schools start and are in session, prices drop, weather remains beautiful and you do not have to deal with the summer crowds. My tip as the savvy traveler that I am is to look for flights departing and returning on Tuesdays or Wednesdays. I much rather save little money on a flight that leaves on a Tuesday rather than feel I have to travel on a Friday like the rest of the people. The money I save on booking cheap flights is allocated to better hotels and paying for things to do when I get there. If you want to learn more about How To Buy Cheap Airplane Tickets go HERE. The following is a link to my post where I detailed a 3 day itinerary of Rome. Click here to read up on your 1st 3 days in ROME. Then you can continue with the remaining days of my Italy in two weeks itinerary.

Day 4 Italy

From Rome on our 4th day we took a train from Rome Central train station to Naples. Although I have visited Naples before on a past trip to Italy, on this one it didn’t make the cut and we simply arrived to head to the port to catch a ferry to the island of Capri. I suggest you take a hydro ferry for an additional $10-15 EURO more. The hydro ferry takes about 45 minutes to arrive. If you are prone to sea sickness you will defiantly want to make sure you take proper medication because it sure can get bumpy! Once you arrive to Capri you will find super cool convertible taxi like this one

Italy In Two Weeks

Make sure to ask if your hotel offers free service pick up from the port to the hotel, ours did so we hopped in. For our two night stay in Capri we stayed at the Hotel Weber Embassador. We loved it! Clean rooms, beautiful location and great service! I booked it via www.Hotels.com.

After check in we used our first night in Capri to head downtown for a stroll and some dinner. Food in Capri is quite expensive and in my opinion tasteless. I stuck to a wine and gelato diet again, but if you must eat, eat the seafood!

Day 5 in Italy and Day 2 in Capri

This day we chartered a private boat tour Around the island we used . This was by far one of the coolest and most relaxing experiences! A must do! We sailed through the whole island sipping lemincello and stopping in the middle of the Mediterranean, to jump in for a swim. We went to the famous blue grotto which is the biggest tourist trap. Instead of waiting for hours to get in and paying a hefty cost our driver took us to our own grotto. I couldn’t resist to jump into the Mediterranean ocean. My swimsuit matched the color of the ocean…turquoise blue!

Afterwards we grabbed lunch and headed up to the highest point in Capri Mount Solaro. You have a choice of hiking up or take the chairlift up to the summit. We took the chairlift…much easier! The view for up here is breathless!

Day 6 in Italy Day 3 in Capri.

This morning we woke up to do some swimming in the pool and had lunch downtown. We said our goodbyes to this enchanting island and took the ferry back to Naples and from Naples took the high speed bullet train Trenitalio check out my blog about it here.

To Florence. We arrived in Florence in the evening checked into our hotel and went on a night stroll through the stresses. Florence is a very diverse city. Millions of college students, foreigners have called this their home. You can find a variety of great restaurants, good food and great prices oh and tons of great shopping! Florence is known for its leather products make sure you do your research before hand to know what type of leather is real and better.

Day 7 Italy Florence Day 2

We used this day to head to Pisa and Lucca and evening in Florence. Take the local train from Florence main station to Pisa. In Pisa of course the must see sight is the leaning tower of Pisa. You have to see it to believe it. Pretty incredible sight to see it leaning so much. Take your cheesy pictures and then from Pisa we took a local bus that you can catch right on the main street in front of the Leaning Tower to Lucca

Lucca is a beautiful medieval town that still has its original walls standing. It is all walled in. You can rent bikes for a few euro from many vendors and bike around the city. That is what we did and had an amazing time!

We spent a few hours here (which is all you will need) and then took the bus back to Florence to arrive in time well before sunset.

If you do not know already, I am a major sucker for sunsets. I love them! I think they are magical and beautiful. Every place I travel too I try to schedule a day to watch one from some of the most beautiful points in the city. In Florence I decided to head to Piazzale Michelangelo which is a famous square with a magnificent panoramic view of Florence, Italy. It is very romantic and anyone could easily fall in love with the city and with the person you are with.

Day 8 Florence

Since this was my second trip to Florence I didn’t revisit many of the museums like I had in the past, but if it your first trip then you must go see Michelangelo’s sculptured master piece: David. This is housed at Accademia di Belle Arti Firenze We spent this day in Florence checking out all the shopping, visiting the many italian shops. I also suggest you go see The Ponte Vecchio the Medieval stone closed-spandrel segmental arch bridge over the Arno River, in Florence, Italy.

Day 9 Cinque Terre

One of my friends suggested I visit Cinque Terre when he heard I was going to be traveling to Italy and thank goodness I listened! I had no idea what the Cinque Terre was and in my original Italy in two weeks plan it was not included and did not think I would have the time for it, but good thing we went! The Cinque Terre is a rugged portion of coast on the Italian Riviera. “The Five Lands” is composed of five villages: Monterosso al Mare,Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore.I didn’t have too much time to dedicate to the area we decided to do a 1 day trip. I found a great trip on the website Viator. Check it out they have a lot of great ones.

After the trip, I was quite happy that we did the one day trip and that we only spent one day. You will agree with me if you ever visit because each town is quite small and can easily be seen and experienced in a few hours so staying several days if you’re a little more adventurous like me… may bore you.

Day 10

Florence by Day and Afternoon train trip to Venice.

Day 11 Venice

We opted to stay at a hotel that was located outside of the main island of Venice. We stayed at the Anthony Palace Hotel. The hotel was amazing! Very modern clean and offered a car service for a few Euro that took you to Venice main transportation hub. We took this early morning and then began exploiting Venice. Unless you are really into theater or crowds on tourist in little tight space, I personally feel you can see and experience all that Venice has to offer in one day. By 6pm that evening we were all Veniced out and ready to head back to the hotel. We finished that evening at the spa and relaxing.

Day 12 Fly Home or Plan a Long Layover

Our flight home had us stopping in Amsterdam with a 8 hour layover, so what did we do? Sit in the airport and read magazines? Get a massage? Nope! We took the train from the airport to downtown and went on a boat tour though the Amsterdam canals! The train trip to the center of Amsterdam is approximately 20mins. Once you arrive you will see directly across the street a tour operators for these canal cruises. It’s a great way to see the city if you are limited with time. The tour last 1.5 hours and again well worth it if you have limited time like we did!

So there you have it my Italy in two weeks agenda. Italy is the type of country you can easily fall in love with. I do not recommend only going for 2 weeks, but if that is all you have then Italy in two weeks is possible and you will greatly enjoy it!

Happy travels to all!

P.S On my last Italy adventure of 2 weeks I visited these cities: Milan, Verona, Siena, Florence, Rome, Naples, Pompeii, Sorrento. That is a whole different itinerary will share later. Italy has so many places and cities to visit going for only 2 weeks it is impossible to explore everything, but it is sure better than not going at all!

by CasaDeWinn

Fun Places & Things To Do, Travel

48 Hours in New York

Got only 48 Hours in New York? Not a problem! Experience the empire state of mind in New York on this 2 day itinerary having only 48 hours in New York will be just enough to enjoy the sights and sounds! Having lived in the city and worked in the city for over 8 years I have my fair share of knowing the ins and outs and all the local cool places to go to so you have one hell of an experience in NYC! Although this itinerary could be followed by anyone on any 2 consecutive days I tailored it to a Thursday night arrival and departure of Sunday evening. Now if you are visiting the big apple and only have 48 hours in NYC then check out my other article of a fun Girls Night Out in NYC article I wrote.

Day One – Friday

No other place in America has as authentic of a Chinatown as we do here in NYC. Whether you are a fan or not trying out the traditional Chinese breakfast called “dim sum” is something everyone should do if not for the flavor, for the experience. I suggest a weekday because if you decide to go on a weekend expect to wait at least 45mins to 1 hour to be seated. Once you are down here you can easily head to lower Manhattan to catch a boat tour around NYC or one that goes to Statue of Liberty.

48 Hours In New York

After your trip to Ellis Island or around the river you can make It to the 911 Memorial. Make sure you preregister for tickets on the desired date you want to go. While you are in the area walk through famous Wall street and feel what the energy is like.

For lunch I would head back into Chinatown and have lunch at Chinese restaurant. One of my faves is eating “soup dumplings”. My favorite place to go is Shanghai Cafe. While in Chinatown buy all your tourist souvenirs here. They are the cheapest and best selection! “I Heart NY shirts” galore!! You are only a few block from little Italy where you can then grab a canola at the many bakeries to fuel you for the 2^nd half of your tour. I like to go to Ferrera Cafe & Bakery.

From Chinatown I would catch the F subway line to York Street where you will arrive to a neighborhood called “DUMBO” which stands for Directly Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass. You can walk towards the waterside and catch an incredible view of the Manhattan sky line. When you return to Manhattan head east to south street seaport area.

48 Hours in New York

By this time in the day you will probably want to head back to your hotel and freshen up for the sunset and evening. Head to the Gansevoort Hotel rooftop bar and lounge to watch the sunset over the Hudson river. If nightlife is your scene then you are right in the middle of it! The Meat packing district is full of poshy places. If it is too stuffy for you then leave now and head to Magnolia Bakery to try their famous goodies.

Recap:

Breakfast: Dim Sum in Chinatown

Boat Tour of NYC

Statue of Liberty

911 Memorial

Wall Street

Chinatown

Lunch: Eat at Shanghai Café Soup Dumplings

Little Italy – Desert canolis

Brooklyn Bridge

South Street Seaport

Evening

Rooftop Gansevoort Hotel Sunset off the Hudson

Walk along Highline Park

Magnolias Bakery

Meat Packing Area

Day Two – Saturday

This day I would focus on the cities midtown and upper east and west side. Start your day with a boozy brunch at Calle Ocho. Make a reservation. It is a boozy brunch spot that has a sangria bar! Yup over 20 to chose from. To wash down that food take a walk over to central park entering through 72^nd street and Central Park west and walk to the reservoir and the great lawn so you can witness Manhattans … grassy beach. People laying out if you are there in the summer…or witness the fall foliage or the snow covered trees. No matter the season, Central park is beautiful!

48 Hours in New York

You can rent a bike and travel by bike or simply walk along the many paths. Exit through the east side and you will arrive at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. NYC has many museums and you can easily spend an entire weekend at all. I appreciate art and do love it, but with limited time I would select only 1 to go to and visit.

From here walk south to 59^th and 5^th ave where you will come across one of many Apple stores in NYC. Stay on 5^th Ave and walk south to experience the world renowned shopping district. If you stay on 5^th ave until 34^th street you will arrive at another monument the Empire State Building. The trip up to the 86^th floor will put you back $25 but it is well worth it. Head up and take in the impressive skyline and take pictures. When you are done you are only 1 block from Korea town. I love eating Korean fried chicken. If you have never tried it, it is a must! There is Bonchon or a place called Mad for Chicken(a hidden gem and looks like you are walking to a dingy office, but the food is great!) Stay on 5^th Ave. and walk south to 23^rd street where you will bump into the famous Flat Iron building. At Madison square park you can catch lunch at the famous Shake Shack if fried chicken isn’t your thing. Must try these and a milk shake! Walk into Eataly which is a new very cool Italian market place.Upstairs there is a rooftop beer garden .

Head to the east village for dinner at Ippudo and all the many spots to eat nick knacks and then back up to midtown for a Broadway show in Time Square. Be sure to walk up the red steps After the show you can grab desert at New York’s finest and famous cheesecake Juniors or you can walk towards 6^th Ave. and see Radio City music hall and then head up to Serendipity for dessert there. (except to be waiting)

Recap:

Brunch:Calle Ocho

Central Park – bike ride

Metropolitan Museum

5^th Ave shopping

Rockefeller

Hop on Off Bus Tour

Empire State Building

Lunch:Korea Town Mad For Chicken

Madison Square Park

Eataly

East Village

Dinner: Ippudo

Time Square

Broadway show

Serendipity for desert

Juniors Cheesecake

230 5th Fifth Rooftop

Day Three – Sunday

Try to plan a return flight that leaves late. You can always leave your luggage at the hotel and then return to pick it up and make it to the airport in time for your flight home.

If there was another hotel you wanted to visit or some shopping you were not able to do use today to do that.

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by CasaDeWinn

Love & Marriage, My Thoughts, Personal Growth, Relationships, Travel

Make Time For Dinner

When was the last time you sat and enjoyed a dinner amongst friends? Was it last Thanksgiving? Or maybe your birthday? Well on my recent trip to Spain I learned to enjoy 2 hour dinners and NOT feel anxious… I know as a workaholic that I am I was surprised myself! I discovered and experienced life at a halt. I mean that in a good way. Not a halt like you are not progessing, but more of a halt that sometimes you do need to stop and smell the roses. Or in this case enjoy a lavish dinner, lots of wine and great conversation for a 4 hour period…and they call that “normal”. Americans may only do that a few times a year. Possibly during a birthday dinner, Christmas dinner and Thanksgiving and even then I doubt you really sit there and enjoy the conversations with the people next and in front of you for 3 hours. Or do you?

Can you really have a 2 hour dinner with Spanish friends without getting anxious?? I was tested on my last trip. I passed! I actually really enjoyed it.

CNN recently had an article about 8 reason to make time for family dinner. Here were their 8 reasons:

1.Supper can be a stress reliever

2. Kids might learn to love their veggies

3. It’s the perfect setting for new foods

4. You control the portions

5. Healthy meals mean healthy kids

6. Family dinners help kids “just say no” to smoking, drugs, and drunk driving

7. Better food, better report card

8. Put a little cash in your pocket

more here: http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/25/living/family-dinner-h

That was CNNS reasons to make time for dinner. What are yours?

Well I can tell you that I learned a lot from this behavior of having and enjoying a meal. I learned to focus on one task and enjoy my meals and the company of good friends. I like many of you on Monday thru Friday have a quick dinner. My boyfriend and I either sit around the living room catching up on all the celebrity gossip shows or we are eating while we are catching up on emails or internet browsing. Weekends is when we induldge in good enjoyable dinners, but never to the extent of the Spaniards. So I learned to enjoy more. To focus on dinner when it is dinner. To enjoy my meals and the company I am with. I should have figured this out years ago! As an ex fat tortilla girl one key factor in maintaining good healthy weight is chewing! yes chewing! lol Thinking about what you are eating and enjoying your food to fulfill your craving. But I didnt learn. It wasnt untill I traveled to Spain that I learned to enjoy dinners daily.

So just a quick tip that I am sure will only enrich your life and your experience. Take time to have a dinner not just feed yourself. Slow down. Put the email away. Try to even turn off your TV. Sit. Eat. Talk. Enjoy!

by CasaDeWinn

Fun Places & Things To Do, Travel

3 Day Itinerary Barcelona

I recently returned from a trip to Spain where I spent 3 wonderful days in Barcelona or should I say Barthelona. The Spaniards have me lisping everything I sthay…. 🙂 It was my first time visiting Spain and starting in Barcelona was a pleasant surprise. I will share with you a few of the highlights ( in my opinion) of the city and a few must do things and places to visit while visiting. One of the first places we went to visit is the beach. Now being a California girl I am a bit jaded with beaches. I expect a lot. If it isn’t beautiful white soft sand, nice waves to ride a surf board or calm bath like waters you find in Mexico or the Caribbean….I think most beaches are so-so…so Barcelona isn’t the type of place you go to hangout at the beach. You go there to explore and enjoy the Spanish lifestyle! So after one too many bites of paella we headed back and walked along La Rambla. It is the most beautiful tree-lined pedestrian friendly street in the city. It is full of street vendors, stores and markets. I suggest a nice walk through this street and do make sure to stop at the central market and try some jamon or cheese selection.

One of the things I quickly picked up and understood was why the Spanish eat dinner so late? I have heard that they have dinner around 10pm and it only took one day to understand. The sun doesn’t even set until about 930pm so at 10pm you are catching the sunset. It is such a wonderful experience. We spent most of the first day there in Barcelona’s most eastern area. On day 2 we visited the northern city where you will find many of famous architect Antoni Gaudí homes whose facades he designed. Here is one of my favorites.

If you are in the mood for top-notch shopping Avinguda Diagonal or The Portal de l’Àngel,just off Placa de Catalunya, is lined with an endless array of shops selling the most exclusive brands of clothing and accessories. I headed to Spanish companies like ZARA to take advantage of lower prices than in the states. Yes I saved my receipt and so should you if you spend a lot then before exiting Spain you can get reimbursed on your sales taxes. (hit-hint).
Our 3rd day there we dedicated to visiting la Sagrada Família basicilia. I recommend waking up super early to beat the crowds. At first sight this building is so impressive. The scale of it compared to the smaller buildings surrounding it make it look massive! And it is! I highly recommend getting a tour guide to teach you the history and explanations and hidden meanings this building has. Our tour guide was excellent! They are still doing construction to it and it is scheduled to be completed in 2026. I guess I will have to make a return trip there to admire the beauty.

Afterwards, we spent the later morning at Park Güell is a garden complex with architectural elements situated on the hill of El Carmel in the Gràcia district of Barcelona. The views are spectacular! Again, highly recommend a guide because the park has so much history and meaning behind all of Gaudís’ work. You have to sit at the worlds longest bench. Its agronomic design truly helps your back and feels incredibly comfortable! We finished this day with heading towards the International Expo and Olympic park area.

In general food in Spain is jamon, jamon, jamon, paella, fried foods and umm more fried foods. In my opinion not the best, but my oh my the wine! Loved EVERY wine I tried. I had high end expensive bottles and budget friendly ones and all were tasty and smooth.

If you are only there for a few ours as part of a cruise ships stop…good luck being able to experience and view all that Barcelona has to offer. It is impossible! Not even my 3 days there were enough, but better than no days. To live how the Spaniards live. To relax and enjoy lunch for 2 hours. To drink, eat and be marry! That is what Spaniards do best and that is what Barcelona showed me.

by CasaDeWinn

Fun Places & Things To Do, Travel

Things to do in New Orleans

There are many things to do in New Orleans from fantastic food, music, and partying with the locals that’s what you will find in New Orleans! I’ve had the opportunity to travel to many cities and few have left a lasting impression like New Orleans. If you are looking for inexpensive place where you do not need more than 3 days to explore and can party the night away on a restricted recession proof budget…New Orleans is for you!
I have visited this little charming city 4 times now and have complied a list of places for you to must visit, do and eat at. If you have some other favorites I may have missed and you would like to share, please do!

New Orleans streets are lined with delicious restaurants! The first time I visited my boyfriend would say “the food just taste different over here” (NOLA). It didn’t take long for me to agree. A big mistake for new visitors is overloading yourself on food. Trust me I did it. I nearly passed out! I got sick from over eating on my first visit so the following is a list is based on a 3 day itinerary in the city for you to eat like a normal person because when I travel there fitting in all the meals is a major part of my itinerary. Here are some things to do in New Orleans

Lunch spots

1. Raising Canes– Fast food spot that only sales chicken fingers served with delicious Texas toast and their secret sauce.
2. Po’boys at Mahony’s or Domilise (The Manning brothers fave pick) – These are Sandwiches you find only in New Orleans. Made with French bread and loaded with your choice of fried fish, shrimp and now even chicken and filet mignonette, but the ones with shellfish are the original ones. I personally love the fried shrimp one. Try one.
3. Acme Oyster House– great restaurant for you guessed it…oysters!

Where to go for Dinner

1. Zea rotisserie and grill – reasonably priced local restaurant. Great rotisserie meats and you must have the corn grits.
2. Cochon- Great fancy restaurant with more importantly…great food!
3. Cafe Amelie- Found right in the French quarter set in a beautiful courtyard it is a great place to enjoy a quiet romantic meal. Call ahead for reservations.
4. Copelands’s- . Not the place to take a girl you are trying to impress, but d*** the food is great! Must try the seafood platter. Good luck trying to finish it …with 4 adults eating it!
5. Drago’s Seafood- . All the fried seafood your little heart can desire! If you are feeling a little healthy then opt for the grilled (known as Charbroiled down there) Oysters.
6. Port of Call- . Go here for the steak! Any steak will be sure to please you.
7. Jacques-Imo – . If you feel the urge to take a plunge to the wild side then go here for Alligator dishes! This place is full of classic cajun dishes.

Snacks & Famous Drinks
Eat a Lucky dog from one of the many street vendors. $5.75 buys you an extra large dog loaded with onions and chili on a soft bun.

You can drink your liver away in New Orleans, drinks are super cheap and available everywhere! And did I mention its one of two cities in the US you can drink in public?
Head to Pat O’Briens and order a Hurricane. Rum & passion fruit juice make this a concoction that’s easy to go down and hits ya with a buzz!

Cafe du Monde– Coffee lovers start forming lines that wrap around this famous history coffee shop. With only 3 things on the menu Coffee, Coffee with steamed milk ( cafe au lait ) and Beniets these fluffy fried flat donut pieces loaded and topped with powered sugar. There is no neat way to eat them.

Places to go and things to see

1. French Quarter – this is New Orleans at heart. The places is filled with street vendors artist, bars, eateries, jazz bands and if you go during Mardi Gras season (typically starting up 3 weeks before) you may even bump into a street parade! Like I did on my last trip!

2. Magazine Street – if you are into antiques and awesome vintage finds, this is a place for you!
3. The Aquarium- – Great if your into animals if not just go back to a bar and meet some locals 🙂

Outside of New Orleans
1. Go on a Swamp Tour – there are a ton so you can’t be disappointed.
2. Visit a Plantation- there are a few in the area, but the most famous is Oak Alley.

That is New Orleans. I am from San Diego/Southern California and I Live in NYC….if you are visiting the BIG APPLE or SoCal leave a comment or connect with me on FACEBOOK. I have tons of recommendations!

by CasaDeWinn

Entertaining, Fun Places & Things To Do, Travel

Girls Night Out NYC

Girls night out NYC. Yes we have all done it and if you haven’t then what are you waiting for?? Girls night out NYC can be one of the best places to hangout and have fun with your girlfriends. In this post I share one option for you that can take you for a swing from the norm wine bar (which I love).

I believe every woman should have a group of girlfriends that she can hang out with, act a fool with, and have some good’ol girl talk with! Ladies, if you don’t have that…lets chat. You may need my personal coaching to help you. It isn’t just about meeting more men, it is filling your life with meaningful relationships.

Recently a great friend of mine suggested we hit up Lucky Chengs in NYC. As always, I am always up for amusement and a good time. So no hesitation I went. If you do not know what it is, it is a restaurant that offers a drag queen show while you feast on food. Here is the lowdown.

The original location used to be in the village and they have now made the theater district their new home. The venue is huge and they have a nice size bar and dinning area. I heard they are opening up their 3rd floor to be an all out karaoke bar perfect for the next “American Idol”. For this night, we went to the drag queen show and dinner. The queens were awesome!! Extremely funny, hospitable, scanky and entertaining! The whole atmosphere of the place is a very positive “anything goes” type of vibe. The food low down is there are 3 menu options to choose from starting at $40 per person up to $50. All the food is served family style. The only disappointment of the entire night was the 1st and 2nd round of food. The food was served Luke warm and many of the dishes lacked flavor and presentation. For the entrée portion, things got a lot better and the food tasted much better. But then again, who goes to Lucky Chengs for good food anyway?? This is the kind of places where girlfriends can be silly and wild and no one will care of judge you. How awesome is that!?? So if you are visiting NYC or plan or live nearby Lucky Chengs is defiantly an experience. One not to miss!

by CasaDeWinn

Fun Places & Things To Do, Travel

Italy High Speed Train Treni Italo

Hello and welcome fellow travler! If you haven’t already checked out our other travel post on Ital check out Two Weeks In Italy and Rome 3 Day Itinerary Italy High Speed Train Treni Italo Read about it. Italy has a new high speed “bullet train” called Treni Italo. Try it!

Attention European travelers, there is a new kid on the block!
On my recent visit to Italy I discovered by accident a new train company that I was very pleased with. It is called ITALO.

I discovered this train by accident on one of my trips returning from Naples trying to get to Florence. I was stopped and greeted by a charming smiling young well spoken lady. Her English was superb and she immediately got my attention fixated on this huge 6 foot touch screen. She informed me that the company had just opened and was offering rail service via “express trains” to Rome, Florence and most major Italian cities. When comparing the trip from Naples to Florence I found this:

TrenItalia anywhere from 3 to 4hour trips for as low as 49Euro ( the kind that stop at EVERY SINGLE station) to 78Euro

ITALO 2 hour trip for as low as 70 Euro.

We chose, ITALO.

We were very happy with the brand spanking new trains. Super clean, modern and the service was excellent! They offer 3 levels of service Basic, Business and Premier class.
We chose the basic class, but then got upgraded to business where they offer a full service drink and snack service.
The travel was half the time and again I cannot not speak well enough about this train company. It is a sign of relief when you are traveling overseas and come across companies that offer a great service, great price and whose employees speak English.

Next time you are traveling to Italy, I invite you to take a look at this new company http://www.italotreno.it/EN/Pages/default.aspx

If you have travel tips from money savers to amazing places you have been, SHARE WITH ME! I would love to hear!

by CasaDeWinn

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