Posts tagged ‘what to do’
Austin, TX
As I mentioned yesterday, I spent the weekend with two of my bestest friends in Austin, Texas. Before this past weekend I’d never been to Texas (aside from the airport…don’t think that counts though), but had heard only wonderful things, particularly about Austin. We stayed at the Hotel San Jose and immediately fell into a routine of Jo’s iced coffee and breakfast tacos in the morning followed by long walks, a bit of sight seeing and silly dance-offs in our hotel room. Some of the highlights from the trip were the countless numbers of food trucks, a dip in Barton Springs (turtles and salamanders live in it! ooh la la!), and bike riding around the city. Austin is definitely a place I’d love to return to, and I only hope that the next time is for SXSW because that’s something I’ve been dying to experience.
{ yum yum yum in my tum…their tex mex isn’t joking around }
{ fo’ realzies }
P.S. (!) I’ll be posting some more photos of my trip to Austin on my Facebook page later today, so be sure to ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-check it out!
Luna Park
February is hands down my least favorite month of the year. Even though I managed to make it through last February without a single accident, trauma, or life-spinning-rapidly-outofcontrol mess, the second month of the year never comes without a bit of dread and fear. I’ve found that the best way to get through such months as this is to stay busy and involve myself around people and things that make me happy. Thankfully, this month is already looking to be pretty packed with Fashion Week less than a week away and one of my best friends Gillian and my Mom coming to visit soon there after. But I couldn’t start February off without a Weekend Getaway post that only emits positive and happy thoughts and memories.
Luna Park.
Although it’s a name shared by dozens upon dozens of amusement parks around the world, the Luna Park I’m thinking of is one I went to with my family in Viareggio, Italy back when I was a wee tiny tot. In case you didn’t pick up from my birthday post (here) that part of me is still easily five years old, then perhaps this will make it clearer. There are few things in life I love more than amusement parks. Yes, more often than not they’re overcrowded and it seems that I’m never able to win any of the games, but there’s something about the atmosphere, bright colors, and never ending fun that has me returning to them whenever I get a chance.
Aside from being horribly terrified by the Haunted House (my Mom was screaming too), I distinctly remember nothing but smiles and laughter when I went to Luna Park. I think my brothers and I must have gone down the ripply slides at least a dozen times and rammed into each other with bumper cars until our necks couldn’t take it anymore. I can still taste the fluffy sweetness of the pink cotton candy, can feel that moment of butterflies when a ride is about to start and can hear all those wonderfully playful sounds that can only be associated with an amusement park. I would love to spend just one day this month channeling my inner five year old at an amusement park like Luna Park. And I bet if I tried hard enough I could win one of those big stuffed animal prizes…ok, whom I kidding I suck at those games.
• is this not one of the coolest things you’ve ever seen? •
Have you ever been to Luna Park?
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photos via flickr
Oslo
I admit that on my list of places to see in the world, Oslo was never really high on my list, but after reading about it in my brand new travel book (I’m seriously obsessed) the Norwegian city went up about five slots. Much like any other major metropolitan city, Oslo is full of a variety of architecture both modern and old as well as beautiful parks, museums, and quaint cafes you long to become a regular of. The Opera House is the most well-known building in Oslo as it was the first modern design to be constructed in the city. Shaped like a glacier (something that Norwegians are relatively used to), the bright building appears to be both breaching out of and melting into the surrounding waters.
Since I’m a sucker for castles and palaces, I’m naturally drawn to Oslo’s Royal Palace and the medieval castle, Akershus Festning, which allows its visitors almost complete freedom to tour its tiny hallways and corridors. Let a game of real life Clue begin!
Aside from the Opera House, the one place that my travel guides keep mentioning is Vigeland Park which has an enormous amount of strangely disturbing sculptures by Norwegian artist Gustav Vigeland. Surrounding a beautiful fountain and what at first appears to be a heavily textured totem pole are smoothly carved sculptures of strangely contorted children and interloping men and women. Not exactly what I would deem inviting outdoor sculpture, but the place is said to be quite pleasant and relaxing. The Fram Museum is another must-see on my list as it is home to the Vessel Fram, the world’s first ice breaker and last polar expedition ship constructed entirely of wood. I love a good shipwreck/sea story.
Along with all the sight seeing, Oslo is also known for its beer tastings or two hour beer school as well as a number of major shopping districts; but be warned, Oslo was ranked the most expensive city in the world in 2010, so careful what you do with those credit cards! Then again, the Oslo street style I’ve seen on Street Peeper and Face Hunter is so darn cute that maybe it wouldn’t hurt to splurge on some Norwegian clothes…just a little bit ;)
• Frogner Park •
• University of Oslo •
• Vigeland Park •
• sculpture by Gustav Vigeland in Vigeland Park •
• Royal Palace •
• the Opera House •
• backside of the National Theater •
• Akershus Festning (medieval castle) •
Have you ever been to Oslo?
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photos via tumblr & flickrBerlin
If you couldn’t already tell, one of my favorite things to do is fantasize about places I’d like to live someday. Paris, London, Amsterdam are all on the list but there’s one city I have yet to see that my Mom seems to think I’m going to be adding to the tippy top of said list, and that city is Berlin. When I was studying abroad in Barcelona (see here), my friend Alana and I traveled to a different city or country with each other every weekend. The only weekend we didn’t travel together was over Thanksgiving when I went to Venice to see my Mom and she went to Berlin to visit a friend who was studying there. While I came back to Barcelona boasting about having seen Elton John at a restaurant, she topped my celebrity sighting with all her stories about Berlin and how I just “have to go there”. Since then, those four words “have to go there” have continued ringing in my ears like a mosquito you can’t flick away. Berlin, it’s time you and I met.
Berlin is the largest city in Germany and is known as a cultural mecca of design, art, music and fashion. Sounds right up my alley already, right?! The city is filled with a vast number of museums, concert halls and shopping districts and is one of the only cities that has as much new architecture as it does old. Much of its culture is a result of the city’s destruction after World War II and the tearing down of the Berlin Wall, parts of which are still intact and currently function as a Memorial Site.
Berlin is one of those large cities that even given a weeks visit wouldn’t do it justice (and I’m just saying this after being overwhelmed by reading about all there is to see/do/experience!). There are at least five museums that I’d like to spend a week’s time in, but at the top of my list is the Pergamon Museum which houses Ancient Greek sculpture and the newly renovated Neues Museum which contains tons of prehistoric findings as well as my personal favorite, Egyptian art, including the bust of Nefertiti! There are also dozens of architecturally and historically interesting churches that offer views of the city, but the unbeatable view has to be within the Fernsehturm (aka TV Tower) which has an incredible observation deck.
The city is also filled with picture perfect parks such as the Tiergarten, where people picnic and barbecue on the weekends, and epic flea markets open every weekend. And speaking of shopping, after reading through my travel books it seems that Berlin is filled with not one, not two, but three major shopping districts. Credit cards beware! Oh! And how could I forget the Bronx Zoo!? Home to the largest amount of animal species in the WORLD! HELLO!
I’ll say it again, Berlin, it’s time you and I met.
Judging by how my exclamation points increased by the end of this post, I clearly got more and more excited as I thought about the possibility of visiting this incredible city. There really are just too many amazing places to see in the world, when oh when am I going to find the time!?
• left over bits of the Berlin Wall •
• if this little guy isn’t incentive enough to go to Berlin, then I don’t know what is •
• Brandenburg Gate •
• Fete de la Musique – a musical festival that takes place throughout the city •
• photos booths are open to the public 24/7 •
• Tiergarten •
• Fernsehturm (aka TV Tower) •
Have you ever been to Berlin?
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photos via tumblr & flickrCuzco
And so the great debate on where three of my best friends and I will travel to in the spring continues. Next up on the list: Cuzco, Peru.
I’ve never been to South America and have always wanted to go. Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, the list goes on…but today I focus on Cuzco, a large city located along the Southern Sierra Mountains. Once the capital of the Incan Empire, Cuzco is filled with tons of historical architecture from colonial buildings to Inca Ruins such as the famous stone walls that can be seen throughout the city. Along with incredible architecture and history, Cuzco is also more touristically known for its fun and wild nightlife which, let’s face it, is appealing to a group of four young girls experiencing a new city together. But as much as we may try and convince ourselves that we’re the “ladies of the night” type, I’d be lying if I said we weren’t more of the sort whom enjoy wandering through museums, exploring neighboring towns and landmarks, and indulging in delicious local foods; all of which, Cuzco is full of.
While Cuzco is filled with breathtaking monuments and well-known museums, many of my handy dandy guidebooks and travel blogs recommend strolling through the smaller galleries which feature local artists handicrafts, weavings, prints, etc. The Qoricancha, aka “The Sun Temple” is another must-see on my Peruvian itinerary as it used to function as the central site of worship for the Incas. Although now partially in ruins, it still contains both Catholic and Inca ancestry and also offers beautiful views of the surrounding area. Many of Cuzco’s festivals and dances begin at the Qoricancha before making their way through the rest of the city. The most notable festival is the Inti Raymi (the Sun Festival) which is a remembrance celebration of the winter solstice, an Inca tradition.
Although known for being more touristy, the city’s historical center, Plaza de Armas is said to be a perfect way to spend an afternoon enjoying the many shops, vendors, restaurants and bars all surrounded by the Incan Walls. I must admit though that much of what draws me to this beautiful city, aside from the historical architecture and ruins, is the delightfully colorful clothing that so many Peruvians wear on a day to day basis. I’d love to get my hands on some of the heavily printed full-circle skirts and even the detailed adornments used to hang around llamas necks.
So, as much as our other options are enormously appealing (see here, here, here, and here), I have to say that after writing this post Cuzco may take the lead as my choice of destination, though I’d really just love to travel anywhere!
• Agricultural Terraces •
• Saxayhuamán – the end point of the Inti Raymi Festival •
• the Qoricancha •
• oh, hi! •
• Plaza de Armas •
Have you ever been to Cuzco?
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photos via flickr
