Traveling abroad to a foreign country where you don’t know the language or the culture can be quite daunting. You are probably going to ask your friends or read a few travel books before you hop on the plane. But no matter where you go, here are five tips I recommend you follow and keep […]
South Lake Tahoe is the largest city along Lake Tahoe. With skiing, boating, biking, blackjack, ice skating, swimming, shopping and bar hopping, South Lake Tahoe is a bustling town that offers something for all ages.
I encourage you to travel, to learn about different cultures, their real customs and traditions. But I also want you to be polite, sensitive and respectful. While doing my research for an upcoming visit to Indonesia, I came across the Frommer’s “Favorite Experience in Indonesia” below.
Wine, chocolates, music and beautiful countryside! Isn’t that the perfect way to spend Valentines Day? Get aboard the Napa Valley Wine Train in northern California where you can rekindle your romance on a 36 mile round-trip journey from the historic town of Napa, through one of the world’s most well known wine valleys to the quaint village […]
According to leading hotel industry tracker STR Global, there are over 13.4 million hotel rooms worldwide (as of 2012). Not all hotels are eco friendly or have adapted green practices. There is no doubt that staying in a hotel uses a lot of resources and puts pressure on the environment. Yet business and leisure travelers can take […]
When synthetic indigo came to market at the end of the 19th century, it virtually wiped out the indigo farming industry worldwide. But one lady singlehandedly decided to keep indigo alive in her country of El Salvador.
Pupusa is a traditional El Salvadorian dish made with a thick corn tortilla stuffed with fillings of pork (chicharrón) , mashed refried beans, cheese (queso), onions, mushrooms or chillies. The two most commonly found pupusas are the pupusa de queso (cheese) and more popular pupusa revuelta with mixed ingredients of cheese, beans, and chicharrón. Pupusas are served […]
When you take that sip of fresh cup of coffee in the morning, do you ever stop to wonder where it came from? Sure, you may have bought a premium bag of Columbian or Sumatra roasts from your neighborhood grocery store or cafe, but do you know how coffee is grown and processed, the labor […]
El Salvador is well known for its coffee. Well, due to increased competition, it probably doesn’t get the much deserved recognition on a global platform. A great deal of its economy is dependent upon it so the locals take their coffee very seriously. While searching for a cup of latte, I came across this place […]
I know it sounds too good to be true, but it is! I can say that because I have done the free volunteer trip to Spain myself.
Tandoori Chicken is one of the most popular dishes from northern India. It is grilled chicken rubbed with a blended spice marinade, identifiable by its red coloring. Tandoori is Indian style of BBQ. The marinade has garlic, salt, coriander, tamarind, cumin, ginger, lentils and oil.
As I teach cooking classes across the US, often times students ask me about “must have” kitchen equipment. While you don’t need to have all the handy-dandy gadgets that have come about on the Home Shopping Network, there are a few things that do make life easier. And they don’t need to break the bank […]
Italy has long established itself as the fashion capital of the world. Many famous designers and name brands have originated from Italy and spread their fashions around the world putting their own spin on timeless pieces like the silver wrist watch whilst also releasing cutting edge designs. It is not surprising then that the first […]
Each year, I share with my readers the five best meals I have eaten that year. This is always very hard to do, as I get to enjoy many of the finest restaurants in the world. In this year alone I was able to sample creations by talented chefs in Atlanta, Barcelona, Dallas, Florence, Roatan, […]
You can find some of the best pizza, lasagna, ravioli, and gelato in the world in the heart of Tuscany in Florence, Italy. The Italian food you find here is obviously very different from the Americanized Italian version found elsewhere. Only the freshest, often locally sourced organic ingredients are used in preparation, and most recipes are […]
I grew up as a Catholic in a country where less than 1% of the population is Christian. In the city of Chandigarh in northern India, ours was among the handful of Christian families. Even though Christmas was a big deal for us, it wasn’t as festive around as it is here in the western […]
Escape to the mountains, sit by a cozy fire, bite into a peppermint soufflé and visit a Christmas tree farm. Picture a better Christmas tree family tradition? I recently experienced the perfect weekend holiday-season getaway at the Old Edwards Inn in Highlands, North Carolina.
We owe it to Bruto and Poerio Carpigiani, the two brothers who spread gelato technology, culture, and business throughout the world. They have played a huge role in the evolution and reach of gelato over the last century. This can be traced at the newly opened Carpigiani Gelato Museum, just outside of Bologna in Italy. The museum […]
I am a big fan of realistic books on culture and travel. Someone said “language is one of the most immediate ways to get to know a culture.” If They are Roses – The Italian way with Words by author Linda Falcone, editor The Florentine Press, and illustrator Leo Cardini, is one I read recently and really enjoyed. It is an light […]
