Guest post: Amsterdam

This week, as part of the guest post series, we travel to the heart of Amsterdam with Keith of Velvet Escape, for a look at one of the city's grandest structures: the Tuschinski Theatre.

GRANDEST HOME OF FILM

The Tuschinski Theatre in Amsterdam is the grandest cinema in the Netherlands and arguably one of the grandest in the world. Built in 1921, the theatre features a baffling mix of Art Nouveau, Art Deco, Jugendstil and Oriental styles. The Tuschinski is not an off-the-beaten-path attraction in Amsterdam. In fact, its central location in the Reguliersbreestraat, near the Rembrandtsquare, means that millions of tourists pass it every year. However, the street itself is a mishmash of touristy restaurants, supermarkets and shops, a busy tram route running through it, with this stunning theatre squashed in the middle. As a consequence, many visitors to Amsterdam tend to overlook the opulence of this magnificent building.

Take the time to visit this theatre as it’s nothing like any cinema you’ve ever seen. Its exterior, rather Gothic in design, is flanked by two green-domed towers. Notice the elaborate façade with its stained-glass windows. Step inside and gawk at the electric colours and murals: red and gold are the primary colours of the rich, over-the-top design of the foyer. Colourful peacocks and birds of paradise adorn the walls while the bar is a symphony of marble and bronze. The designer, Herman Louis de Jong, intended the foyer to give visitors the impression that they were stepping into an illusion – I must say, he certainly succeeded!

The main attraction, however, is further inside this cavernous building: the central hall. The grand, terraced hall features an elaborately designed high ceiling, plush VIP boxes, Art Deco lamps and a large central stage.

There are two ways to really appreciate the history and grandeur of the Tuschinski Theatre: taking a guided tour (Saturday mornings at 10am; please check in advance) or going to a movie in the central hall (2012 is showing there right now). If you choose the latter, get in early and spend some time in the foyer. Then walk up to the entrance of the central hall and check out the gorgeous corridors. Find the right entrance, then step into the central hall. The first sight of it will take your breath away! If you feel like indulging yourself, get tickets for the ‘Love Seats’, a plush two-seater couch on the first balcony in your own private box. You can also add a wine or champagne set to your ‘Love Seats’ tickets. It’s a really cool way to appreciate this stunning theatre in the heart of Amsterdam.

[photos source: Pathé Tuschinski Amsterdam]

Confession: I take free trips

Hello dear readers. Exactly because you are dear to me, as is this little blog of mine, I'd like to talk about the hot topics in the travel writing and blogging world: freebies/press trips and the new FTC rules that kick in on December 1. So on this mid-November day, after returning from Arizona just yesterday – where I was hosted for four days by the great people of the Greater Phoenix CVB – I'd like to make it clear where I stand.

I'm sure many of you have been following the debate on travel writers accepting press or fam(iliarization) trips, as they're also known. The discussions have been heated, on all platforms – from Twitter to personal blogs and magazines. So I thought I'd chime in and explain my position.

I do, happily, accept press trips. In fact, since last spring I have traveled to the following destinations for free: Barbados, Mexico, British Columbia, Montana, Bosnia, St Tropez, Bora Bora, Israel and Arizona. I'm about to take off for Paris and Canada in the next couple of weeks; both trips will be 100% sponsored.

I've blogged about these trips, I've sold articles about the destinations visited and will probably sell more content that arose from these junkets. And I stand behind every word I've written about these sponsored trips. As an honest writer and journalist, I cannot be bought. Just because a PR company or a hotel/resort may have paid $1000s to get me out to a dream destination does not mean I will give the said destination or property a glowing review. If I don't like it, I won't review it. If I don't care for it, I won't blog about it. In other words, I stand behind every word I write on this blog.

When I started blogging back in January 2008, I had a very noble idea of keeping an entirely ad-free blog that would be pure labor of love. I told myself I wasn't interested in making money with it. It was just a showcase for all the travel writing I hadn't been able to place so far and poetic musings nobody was likely to buy. At that time, I had a cushy freelance travel writing gig that covered my life expenses on a monthly basis. Other projects kept on landing into my lap all the time, so much so that I had to learn to say no. That lasted for a few more months, until I lost the writing gig in September 2008, and several other outlets soon after.

Let me explain here that I make my living 100% with travel writing. There has been no other income, personal loan or gift of money that came my way in many years. Travel writing is literally my bread and butter. On my low days, I am upset about the fact my rent may go unpaid or the credit card bill may be hit with hefty interest. But on my good-mood days, I am proud of the fact I have been working my way through recession as a travel writer, fully supporting myself with a craft I love, in an industry that has been one of the most hard-hit during the crisis.

But something had to give. So I started saying yes to press trip invitations, I put a few ads on my blog and I am about to post a sponsored article or two (with a disclaimer, of course) on my blog in the next few weeks. My blog is no longer an underground online presence as I liked to see it at the beginning, a non-commercial entity I was on a high horse about. I'm far from supporting myself with my blog solely but if blogging can cover my utility bills on a monthly basis, I am a happy camper.

The same goes for press trips. I have two options. Option one: I politely turn down the many dreamy invitations that land into my inbox on a weekly basis and I find a full-time job (if I'm lucky). If I choose that scenario, goodbye blogging about my whirlwind travels around the globe and hello fluorescent lights of corporate America. Option two: I continue to travel, paying my own way when I can and allowing others to pay when I can't, collecting stories and photos to bring to my blog readers, family and friends who follow my travels with interest and curiosity. A propos of pics, above is yours truly on my first ever rock-climbing endeavor, just a few days ago on Camelback Mountain in Arizona.

In the last couple of years, I've been living the high life below the poverty level. I've become a survival artist extraordinaire. I've learned how to cash in on my passion. But throughout all that, I've remained faithful to you, my readers, and to myself as a traveler and a writer. Again, I stick to every word I write on this blog.

So now that I've disclosed so much about myself and my (non-ethical?) ways as a travel writer, are you less inclined to believe me? Or has this little exposé had no impact on whether you like what I write and continue coming back for more? I'm curious. I'd love your comments. And let me know where you stand on the debate.

Guest post: Madrid

After a brief hiatus in the Friday guest post series, we are back again this week for a stroll around Madrid's Lavapiés neighborhood. Shehani of Shutterbug Scribbler, a Canadian expat who's been calling Madrid her home for the last three years and blogging about her life in the Spanish capital, takes us on a tour of her adopted barrio, where old and new Europe dwell together and multiculturalism thrives.

A RAMBLE AROUND LAVAPIÉS

Whether you pop out of the underground metro or walk down the hill, you'll notice such a diverse mix of cultures here that you'll wonder if you're still in Spain. Welcome to Lavapiés! Lavapiés literally means "wash feet" but I prefer to think of it as Lava Pies – a hot molten patty of old and new Europe. This barrio was the former Jewish quarter of the city until the expulsion of the Jews in 1492. Nowadays it's the most multi-ethnic barrio in Madrid with more than 50% of its population of foreign origin. I love the variety of faces I can see here.

When I first told people I was moving into the barrio, I got a few gasps, worried looks and warnings of danger. Lavapiés gets bad press because it's home to most of Madrid's immigrants and there's a brisk trade in hash and pick pocketing. But it's also the most vibrant and interesting of Madrid's barrios. I've been living in Lavapiés for three years now and I wouldn't want to live anywhere else in Madrid. Typically, the people who pooh pooh it and exaggerate its dangerous aspects the most are the very people who haven't actually set foot here.

Of course, Lavapiés has its dark side of petty crime and drugs but the media seems only interested in promoting these aspects of the barrio, which is a distortion of reality. The truth is, daily life goes on here quite safely. In fact, there are plenty of Spanish abuelas (grannies) who live in the barrio and they seem quite unconcerned as they shuffle around and go about their business. Of course you need to keep an eye on your valuables but that's true for all parts of Madrid.

This is probably the only barrio in the Spanish capital where you can see a mix of Moroccan, Chinese, Latin American, Bangladeshi and Senegalese people sitting around a plaza bench chatting together amicably. There seems to be a fine balance here, in which no one racial group is dominant so everyone simply lives together as a community. Beyond the diverse immigrant population, the Gypsies and the Spanish abuelos, Lavapiés is also home to tons of artists and musicians. I once saw a cheeky artist spray paint some of the ubiquitous dog poop gold then stick it with a toothpick sign that read: 5/1000, as if it were a part of an art series.

Many of my friends live here and we all feel passion for the barrio. There's a wonderful bohemian village atmosphere and there's always something going on. From outdoor concerts in the plazas, to multi-ethnic religious processions, to Little Bollywood to the barrio Fiesta de San Lorenzo every summer, Lavapiés puts the life into lively.

And there's also a huge selection of ethnic food here. There are Chinese grocers, Indian spices, Arab sweets, shisha teashops, kebabs, a plethora of curry houses, Spanish tapas, boho trendy bars (all along Argumosa and Ave Maria), Astorian roast meats, Senegalese cuisine (like Touba Lamp Fall, C/ Amparo), tons of fruit and veggie shops, Spanish markets, halal butchers, old-man bars (such as Bar FM, C/ Olmo 35), bodegas, mesons and a lesbian tea/sex shop (Los Placeres de Lola, C/ Doctor Fourquet 34).

For those craving a different type of cultural offering, Lavapiés also has an open university (UNED) with a gorgeous rooftop terrace and restaurant (Gaudeamus, C/ Tribulete 14); an old cinema (Cine Dore, C/ Santa Isabel 3); a fresh urban street art scene; an interfaith church (C/ La Fe); the Reina Sofia contemporary art museum; small local art galleries scattered about the barrio; and the Teatro Valle-Inclán, a venue for Centro Dramático Nacional.

After trotting up and down the narrow, labyrinth-like streets, you'll probably be thirsty. There's no shortage of bars and patios where you can replenish with a caña (small beer), tinto de verano, sangria, vino, mojito, or coca cola.

What follows is the list of spots to check out.

PLACES I LIKE TO HAVE A DRINK OR THREE
Inquilina (C/ Ave Maria 37) Awesome bohemian decor with a featured wine of the month for 2 euros a glass. I always bring visiting friends here.
Aguardiente Café (C/ La Fe 1) Cozy environment with a chess table next to the window and inexpensive wine.
Viva Chapata (C/ Ave Maria 43) Delicious chicken chapata sandwiches to accompany your beer.
El Mojito (C/ Olmo 6) Good mojitos but it's the decor that's wicked – naked barbies in saucy positions line the wall – a sight to behold.
Gato Verde (C/ Torrecilla del Leal 15) Comfy couches upstairs.
Bar FM (C/ Olmo 35) I adore Paco, his dog Luna, his eclectic decor and his jamon serrano.
Bodegas Lo Máximo (C/ San Carlos 6) The decor is a strange mixture of old Spanish and 60s retro chic.

TYPICAL SPANISH MESONS WITH GREAT PORTIONS OF TAPAS
Ryma (C/ Embajadores near Plaza Agustin Lara) Fabulous free authentic tapas (like potatoes smothered in mayonnaise, torreznos, croquettas) are served with your drinks.
Meson (C/ Valencia near Plaza Lavapiés) An authentic meson with delicious raciones. The croquettas are divine.

WHERE I GO TO DANCE
El Juglar (C/ Lavapiés 37) I love to dance here. There's a diverse ethnic mix of clients and funky music.
Candela (C/ Olmo 2) Best after 2 am. This is the place to go if you want to see spontaneous eruptions of flamenco.

My list is by no means comprehensive. There are great little spots around every corner. It's really best to come down and wander around this ancient section of Madrid. This is a fascinating, culturally rich barrio that doesn't deserve the bad press it gets from the mainstream, sheltered, prissy, "immigrants = dangerous" types. So don't believe the hype. Discover Lavapiés for yourself. This is where you'll see, in the hustle and bustle of everyday life, the changing face of Spain.

New York City skyline

Yesterday was a sunny Sunday so my man and I decided to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. This iconic stroll is among my favorite New York City activities. In fact, all my visiting friends are required to cross the bridge on foot when in town for the first time. As on most warm-weather weekends, the walkway was packed with cyclists, jogging New Yorkers, photo-snapping tourists, strolling New Yorkers, and other sundry characters. A promenade of different faces, from all around the globe, speaking in a multitude of languages. As always, it gave me such a buzz. At one point, as I looked to the right at the skyline of Manhattan, perfectly lit with late-afternoon hues, I just had to play tourist and take a photo.

That got me thinking of all the other times I snapped photos of Manhattan's skyscrapers, from various vantage points, in different moods and colors of the day or night. Like the one above, at sunset, taken in fall 2006 on the drive back to town from a weekend on Fire Island, one of my favorite city escapes.

Or the one below, taken on the BQE (Brooklyn-Queens Expressway), on the way back from a weekend up in the Catskills, the very same fall, 2006. The sky, the cranes, and the skyline.



Then there was fall 2007, when a Brazilian friend was showing her paintings in an art space in Long Island City and I snapped a photo of Midtown skyscrapers from Queens on a gray autumn day.



Later that fall, on a sun-drenched day, my boyfriend and I took a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge and found this vista following us as we sauntered.



And then there are the summer rooftop parties in Brooklyn. During one, at my favorite loft in all the five boroughs, I took the pic below. You see my dear friend Gary's rooftop, a bit of Bed-Stuy, and Manhattan in the distance.



Same rooftop, different evening, last summer, a goodbye party for yours truly departing New York for a couple of months.




Same summer, 2009, having a Cuban sandwich in Brooklyn's Sunset Park, admiring the skyline view many New Yorkers don't even know exists.



Going back in time... summer 2005. A friend from São Paulo is visiting. We walk along the Brooklyn Promenade at night. This is what we see.



Same summer. 2005. With the same friend from São Paulo. We're exploring the industrial wastelands of Red Hook, Brooklyn's harborfront neighborhood. Chatting to a fisherman... the skyline of downtown Manhattan across the way.



Yesterday. Unusually warm November Sunday. The vista off the Brooklyn Bridge. A reminder of why I still love my city.

Markets of Israel

I just returned from a weeklong journey around Israel. The highlights of the trip are many. While I'm sorting out my impressions – intense on several levels – I thought I'd post some photos from my wanderings around the markets of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.

The more I travel, the more I love markets. They portray everyday life as it's been lived for generations, over hundreds of years. The sights, sounds, smells, textures and tastes of Israel enchanted me. While I can only share the sights here, hopefully they can transport you to a Middle East where life, simple, unrolls at a market pace.

Here are snapshots of the Carmel Market in Tel Aviv, the largest in the city:





Below are scenes from the bustling Arab souk in the old city of Jerusalem.





Lastly, my favorite, here comes the Machane Yehuda Market in Jerusalem:

EverTheNomad online & radio

Shalom from Israel! I'm currently in Tel Aviv, busy running around on my first ever visit. While I'm gathering stories and photos for a series of Israel posts to come, I thought I'd let you know of my recent online and radio appearances.

An interview with yours truly just went live on JetSetCitizen.com. Please drop by and read what I have to say about travel writing.

Also, www.lonelyplanet.com is featuring a post about island life in Croatia that I wrote back in August. You can find it on their home page: It's number 5 on the slideshow, entitled Five Days in Croatia. Then click on Our guidebook author's in heaven!

I continue to write up interesting travel specials and news that I scour on my worldwide travels for ShermansTravel.com. Here's the latest post, on a new Bora Bora opening: www.shermanstravel.com.

Last week, I was interviewed about this recent trip to Bora Bora for the KPAM 860 Travel Show with Pat Boyle, in Portland, OR. I've done several radio interviews for this travel show, which I hope to be posting on my website soon.

Lastly, check out my new photo galleries at What I See of EverTheNomad.com: Bosnia and Bora Bora. Israel coming up next. Shalom.

Guest post: Mexico City

This week, we travel to Mexico City for an exciting ramble through the city's colorful markets. Our guide on the journey is Lesley Téllez of The Mija Chronicles, a freelance writer who recently relocated from Texas to Mexico City and blogs about the adventures – from food to dance – in her adopted country.

EXPLORING MEXICO CITY'S MARKETS

I've lived in Mexico City for nine months now, and grocery shopping has become one of my favorite pastimes. Not in the supermarket – where the lettuce is often wilted and the garlic sold in little plastic mesh bags – but in the real markets. Every neighborhood has at least one. Often without any sign, they tend to have the same drab, painted-brick exterior. But inside, these buildings bloom with produce, flowers, comida corrida stands, butcher stalls, cheese vendors, dry-goods sellers and the occasional fishmonger.

At any market, there's a lot to see. And smell. And hear. The first time I went to one, I stared open-mouthed at the piles of fresh green-leaf lettuce and spring onions, while a woman in a checkered smock asked me, "Qué le damos señorita?" (What can we give you, miss?) I kept walking, ignoring the vendors' calls of "Qué le damos guerita? Qué le damos linda?" (What can we give you, light-skinned one? What can we give you, beautiful?) Everyone offered a little taste of their wares, a chunk of papaya, or watermelon, or avocado plucked onto the end of a knife. But to stop and taste meant you'd be open to negotiation.

These days I use the markets both to shop – in and out in 20 minutes, when I'm in a hurry – and to wander, for an hour, if I've got the time. Here are three of my favorite Mexico City markets, in case you ever find yourself in town.

Mercado San Juan
Mercado San Juan specializes in gourmet goods. It has a great selection of exotic dried mushrooms, and imported Spanish and Italian cheeses and meats. I once bought an amazing Parmesan Reggiano (grated while I stood there), for a fraction of what it would have cost at a gourmet Mexican supermarket. Mercado San Juan also sells fresh beef, seafood and lamb. Some vendors may even deliver it to your house. The market's specialty, however, is Asian products; fresh tofu sits in a plastic bucket on the west side of the warehouse, along with stacks of daikon, bitter melon, bok choy, and more. If you go, it's also worth stopping at the El Progreso spice shop just a few blocks away, on Calle Aranda. They offer mole pastes, corn and garbanzo bean flours, and pretty much any spice you might need, including whole star anise, cinnamon sticks, and dry mustard.

Mercado San Juan
Located on Calle Ernesto Pugibet, at the corner of Luis Moya, across from the Telmex building in the Col. Centro
Metro Stop Salto de Agua (Line 1)

La Central de Abastos
The Central de Abastos – a giant maze of concrete tunnels and warehouses, south of the city center – is the meeting point for every piece of wholesale produce in the Mexico City. It's open to the public, so if you don't mind trekking about an hour south, you can watch as vendors unload, load, and sell some 30,000 tons of produce. Entire tunnels are devoted to onions, garlic, apples. Wholesale cereal is sold from plastic buckets. Burlap sacks bulge with dozens of pounds of dried chilies and spices. There's also a section that operates as a regular neighborhood market, selling fruit, vegetables, yogurt and cheese by the kilo or less. They don't sell anything exotic here, by Mexican standards, but it's worth the trip for the spectacle alone. If you're hungry, dozens of food stalls offer tacos, flautas and roasted chicken.

La Central de Abastos
To get there: Take Metro Line 8 to Aculco, and then grab a pesero right outside the Metro station that says “Central de Abastos.” The stop is at the end of the line, past the long row of seafood empanada stands.

Mercado Lázaro Cárdenas
A Mexican friend turned me on to this market several months ago, saying she loved the carnitas at one of the restaurant stands. We visited together early one Sunday morning – Mexicans like to eat carnitas for breakfast – and sure enough, they were tender and juicy, covered in a tangy green salsa. The carnitas spot, known simply as Ricas Carnitas y Desayunos, is reason enough to visit this market. But there's another reason too: a café called Passmar. The owner roasts his own coffee beans, and has taken first place in the Mexican Barista Competition twice in the past three years. Order a latte, and they'll make a cute design in your milk. Plus you can shop for produce afterward.

Mercado Lázaro Cárdenas
At Avenida Coyoacán and Aldolfo Prieto, in the Col. Del Valle