Month: April 2015

Churros and Chocolate

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40.4000° N, 3.6833° W: Madrid, Spain Zig, zag, zoom my father’s feet move quite rápido. Through narrow, dark alleyways, corridors of quaint boutiques and storefronts were closing up one evening, we strolled through the Centro neighborhood of Madrid. His inner GPS beacon, hit the ultimate Madrid jackpot. He stumbled across a hidden gem of pure chocolate delight; its illuminated sign said San Gines Chocolateria. Whiffs of rich, syrupy thick cocoa, cinnamon, sugar and café beckoned our presence to nab a table. As we peered around the classy tiled floors, the historic landmark came alive. The walls were inundated with black and whites of famous dignitaries, princes, princesses and celebrities who had graced the delicatessen and eaten its famous churros and chocolate since its grand opening in 1894. Unlike the United States, they freshly fry each churro for each customer and serve super, thick, dense dark cocoa. I love that they put sugar in a jar as a side, rather than a prerequisite of the churro’s existence. “Each bite of sweet crispy, doughy and chewy in …

When Time Stands Still

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50.0833° N, 14.4167° E: Prague, Czech Republic Perspective. That’s why I love to travel. “We often think we are the center of our universe. As homo sapiens we are quick to judge others, to protect our basic selves; it’s about survival.” Where were you Fall of 1989? I remember being small, huddled close with my older brother, hiding underneath our downstairs desk. It felt like invisible giants were angrily shaking our home. Violently the earth from the core had torn open at the San Andreas Fault. The Loma Prieta earthquake had shook, thrashed, rattled and raged into a phenomenal force that took 63 lives and 3,757 injuries in affected areas of Northern California. At that young age, I remember my heart beating so fast, terrified those invisible giants would tear our home a part; it was as if my world was going to end. Fast-forward to Winter 2014, my travels took the family and me to the largest city and capital in the Czech Republic—Prague. The fairy-tale like enchantment of the holiday season and the …

Kate Spade, The Perfect Springtime Travel Bag for Europe

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“She tucked her coral lipstick away and floated back to the party.” Decisions, decisions. Will it be practical, comfortable, stylish and a truthful expression of you? Will it hold all of your must-haves for those train connections, taxi rides, airport layovers and on the plane, fit underneath the seat? These days, I find it tricky to find the right-sized satchel/cross body bag that suits all of my intentions to be truly present and enjoy an unforgettable journey. While I adore fresh air teal and bold sweetheart pink; classy simply black never goes out of style. It’s my go-to bag for springtime in Europe. My unique version of the Cedar Street Maise comes with foldable handles, a durable and solid core body and a convenient cross body strap function. Its chic body shape never fails to perform, whether I’m drifting through unique scarf patterns in Le Marais, Paris or trying on colorful espadrilles in Barri Gotic, Barcelona; my Kate Spade bag keeps me gracefully exploring. Kate Spade katespade.com