This morning I woke to the sounds of bagpipes, drums and military style marching chants that sounded so close that I nearly thought a parade was passing through my apartment.  Then as I looked out the window, one floor below, I realized that it was a historical reenactment parade for National Day of Catalonia, today,…

After a whilrwind end to the summer season, grasping onto every last minute of these warmer months, it’s no wonder that one can not be slightly hung over at this exact moment. Now, truly past the Season Closing Parties, it’s officially the autumn and my slight headache is the only remnant of the parties that…

As I am on the road again for another major long haul trip of nearly two months, I knew it would be a must to turn to friend and fashion blogger Genniva Bruce of Somewear To Be to create another installment of Excessive Baggage. This time, we’re tackling my packing challenge of travel early August…

Nearly everyone has heard of “The Accidental Tourist” and with my lifestyle, that role doesn’t hit far from the mark, but “Wing Woman” on the other hand is one role that I seldom play, yet I played it like a champ in this effort to escape from Cancun to de-stress in one of my favorite…

I guess it’s time to let you in on a little secret of mine.  I can’t always be chic and well put together, especially on days when I’m facing the ever pleasant hangover. Although I try to avoid this headache inducing visitor as often as possible, well, there are just some days where I lose…

Waiting in line for a taxi is one of those routine activities that one does without noticing the world around you.  Typically you’re checking emails or texting on your phone with someone waiting in another line, someplace else in the world, while your feet move forward, one step at a time, to the end goal.…

Have you ever wanted to thank someone for not showing up?  On my recent trip to Bangkok, I felt like I was nearly experiencing déjà vu, having gone through similar scenarios of being let down by guys in various parts of the world.  While exploring the markets and tasting the street food during the days…

If you ask me where is the one place that is the “No Fail” for bringing my international friends visiting me in Barcelona in the warm weather months?  My answer: Pez Vela, the beachside restaurant that has modeled itself as a modern and chic version of a chiringuito or snack shack, right downstairs from the…

When the weather’s nice and I’m in Barcelona, you can find me at least once a week at Wet Deck. Here, you can always count on amazing views down the beach, with the city lights glimmering off of the Mediterranean, and even better people watching within the confines of the bar. This scene is hip…

I’ve just fallen in love with a sweet neighbor of mine in the Born neighborhood of Barcelona. The Demasie bakery and cafe is the absolute perfect spot to pass a few hours of the afternoon, snacking on their delicious sweets and drinking a tea or coffee while people watching along Calle Princesa. My choice of…

“All You Need Is Love”, right? Or at least that’s what has been sung so many times the world over by the Beatles and their fans. These days, every form of love and marriage has their own magazine or digital magazine, but The Knot, the company who not only do I owe my formative career…

More often than not, when having conversations with people around the world I’m asked what are my favorites of my travels.  My favorite travel romance experience, my favorite travel friendship experience, my favorite hotel, my favorite beach, etc.…. and I can instantly think of that one that stands out in my mind. Although not as…

After a weekend of bar-crawls and food-truck binging, I’m planning some necessary me-time. And to make the transition back to reality a little easier, I’m swapping green beer for a few other emerald-colored beverages. Don’t get me wrong, the juices below DO NOT taste like beer, however they will help you blend in with any…

Ever since becoming the legal drinking age, or quite possibly a year or two prior….but who’s really counting, St. Patrick’s Day has been a holiday full of drinking, partying with friends and bar hopping.  It’s one of those days that no matter what the weather, you hit the streets early, head to a brunch or to…

Only on St. Patrick’s Day does beer become one of the most important ingredients to a cocktail that everyone must drink.  Of course, beer is a great stand alone drink for the day’s festivities, Guinness even better and a green beer, well, if you don’t mind sporting the colored mouth for the next 24 hours, it…

Happy Valentines Day! Did you know I love hangbags? Hint, Hint…. If you’re really looking to win over my heart, don’t show up tonight with a dozen roses and definitely leave the box of fancy chocolates behind, but you could come equipped with a box containing this lovely peach, pink and orange leather travel clutch…

Having spent the best part of my past few years finding romance on every corner of the globe or encountering the perfect locales that inspire me to flirt, I now dedicate a bit of this knowledge to help you seek out your perfect escape to share Beachside Besos, partake in a little Cultural Canoodling, spark…

A few weeks prior to departing for my last big trip of the year, Thailand, I decided to do “a first” and post my travel plans on the social networking site ASmallWorld.net.  Not being a fan or participant of online dating, I’ve found A Small World to be pretty legit, as I maintain very few…

Optimistically looking forward to my upcoming trip to Madrid, a mere 2 weeks ago, I posted on my Jetsetter Gypsy Facebook page an image of a large Victoria’s Secret shopping bag sitting atop my dining room table with the caption “The necessities for my upcoming trip to Madrid, Spain”.   Yes, the entire contents of this…

Often traveling solo has made me think in two perspectives when visiting places around the world.  Seeing a place for truly what it is , overall value, enjoyment, luxury, etc…and then considering whether it’s ideal for being there on my own. Many all inclusive resorts really don’t fit into both categories, as they’re a fantastic…