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I am a sucker for a European Christmas Market. Generally, they open on the first week of December and close on Dec 23. They open around 10 am til 10 pm (in bigger cities, they close at midnight).

The stalls offer everything from homemade holiday decorations, local arts and crafts, local delicacies, cheese, wine, and handmade clothes and accessories (basically nothing that says “Made in China”).

Each city or town in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and the Baltics has one. You can also see these in France, Italy, and Spain (although not quite the same).
It is a social activity for family and friends. They serve mulled wine, different types of delicacies, and even desserts.

The biggest one I have ever been to is the Vienna Christmas Market. It is pretty, although I think it is too big and lacks that intimate feeling. The smaller one in Salzburg is charming.

I also love the Christmas market in Munich’s Marien Platz. They sometimes even have carolers singing Christmas melodies. There are so many food options there.

The Christmas Market in Frankfurt is way too small and too packed in my opinion. The carousel is beautiful, though.

The Christmas Market in Riga, Latvia, is one of the smallest markets I have ever been to. But what it lacks in size, it makes up for in heart. Such a beautiful setting! If I could only describe it in one word, I would say “Magical.”

Everyone has a favorite market … visit these countries this winter and find your own favorite!

This is my second trip to Taiwan. Our family loved it so much when we visited 3 years ago, that we decided to come back.

What is not to love? The accommodations are fairly inexpensive, it Is safe, clean, and there are a lot of things to see and do.

The first time we visited, we stayed at one of the 4 Tango Inm Hotel near Shillin Night Market, known for its vibrant night life of shopping and dining. This time, because there are 14 of us, we stayed at the Midtown Richardson Hotel in the center of Ximending area, another shopping district of Taipei. (As you may have guessed, my family’s trips always revolve around eating and shopping. (And at the end of each trip, we always wonder how we gained so much weight LOL).

A few tips:

1) If you’re going to Taipei, stay near Shillin or Ximending. Theyre not exactly Ritz Carlton type areas, but they are the real Taipei- busy and bustling!
2) For luxury shopping- head on to the two Breeze Malls or Taipei 101 (a mall at one of the talllest buildings in the world).

3) Don’t rent a car- they have an amazing bus, metro rail, taxi and inexpensive uber system. Use Googie Maps and you can choose the best option that fits your budget. It is so easy to get around and everything seems to be 15-22 min away.

4) Taiwan isnt just about shopping- they also have great street food choices.

5) Taiwan also has Uber Eats in case you prefer to stay in.

6) Taiwainese people are so kind, polite, and helpful. They don’t speak English as well Filipinos, but you will manage.

7) Taiwan is a small country- but there are so many things to do here and it has so many cool attractions from massive malls to cool museums to trendy restaurants to historical temples.

8) Check the weather before you visit! They have 4 seasons in Taiwan- so pack your jackets if you’re visiting in the winter months! (And swimsuits in the summer months).

 

When I first visisted La Boca in 2014, I thought “This awful place is a tourist spot?”

But much has changed in 9 years. The place is much more attractive and cleaner. It also has sooo many fun stores and trendy restaurants offering the most delicious meals!

La Boca is a working-class area with a cluster very colorful and vibrant homes and buildings. Steakhouses, cocktail bars and street artists surround Caminito, a narrow alley flanked by brightly painted shacks that evoke the district’s early immigrant days.

It is definitely a MUST visit if you’re ever in Argentina. To get here- get in a cab, show them these photos and they’ll know where to take you.

Just 3-4 blocks away from here is the world famous La Boca Stadium where they play football games at.

Note: Please come during the day- it is not an area you’d like to be walking around at night.

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  I have been to Argentina before (2014), while I loved it, I really had no intentions of coming back. But my friend Sarantos begged me. (I am not good at saying “No”).

Surprisingly, I loved it. I feel like it is a new city again. There are so many new things and the city is now so much cleaner, and more organized. Hotels are more upscale and restaurants, too. The city have undergone a massive makeover.

The downside- the prices have more than doubled since 2014. Hotels in Buenos Aires used to average $70/night. That’s gone now. Want to stay at the Four Seasons? That’s $650/night.

I stayed at 725 Continental Hotel just a few blocks from the Obelisk and enjoyed its central location.

But one thing remains – people here are still
insanely beautiful and kind. People always ask me, “Where do you think people are the prettiest?” I would say Argentinians always rank on my Top 5. I think it’s in the water.

Glad to be back! And I will come back again

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I met a guy at our hotel who suggested I visit Makena Beach. “Let’s put it this way,” he said, “I’ve been on Maui for 20 days and have spent time on this beach almost every single day.” With an endorsement like that, I had to see it for myself.

Having been around the entire island of Maui, I have to say that I agree with him. It’s become my favorite beach as well.

The beach is very easy to find. Once you park, you will walk through a nice wooded area for about a third of a mile to get to the beach. From the woods, your first sight of the blue waters is stunning. This is what locals refer to as “The Big Beach” and it is about a mile long and has pure golden-white sand. In this area, there are several huge trees that you can use as shelter from the sun if you need a refuge. Because of the massive waves, there is a lifeguard on duty. This beach is not ideal if you want to snorkel or if you’re with small children – the waves are too unpredictable.

At the end of the north side of the beach is big lava rock that is ideal for taking photos. For the adventurous, there’s a path that goes over to the other side that will lead you to “The Little Beach.” This section of the beach is clothing optional. And if you walk further, you can get away from the crowd and discover a hiking path that leads to a rocky beach and a dramatic cliff. (Sorry folks, but no photography allowed!)

While this may not be the best “swimming” beach on Maui, it is definitely the best walking, lounging and hiking beach on the island. Come see for yourself!

 

Please feel free to share this story with your friends …

You won’t read much about Oakville, Ontario in travel magazines. And locals prefer it that way.

It is located 30 minutes from downtown Toronto (if there’s no traffic) and an hour’s drive from Niagara Falls, Oakville offers a little bit of something for everyone. Immerse yourself in beautiful Oakville. The most ideal time to visit is the summer …

There are many beautiful trails along the coast and it’s perfect for bird watching. Swans glide gracefully along its coast alongside different species of birds.

Come fly with me and see the beauty Oakville has to offer.

 

 

As an LA native, I will be the first to admit that Los Angeles can be an expensive city for tourists and locals. However, there are actually many FREE things to see and do here in Los Angeles. Here are 15 of them:

How many of these places have you visited?

I was in Europe for the Holidays – took a road trip that started in Munich to St Gallen to Zurich to Vienna and ending in Budapest. I love love love love my family (in the Philippines), but Christmas in Europe is quite amazing. It’s cold, shops are all decorated for the holidays, the Christmas Markets are amazing, all tourist spots are empty and best of all- it is cheap. Flights to Europe (and hotels) cost half of a trip to the Philippines. A ticket to Europe from LA is only $800, and it’s $1700 to fly to Manila. Think about it!

Instead, I visit my family during low season. My family understands. (Or do they? LOL)

 

While on a business trip in Toronto, my client gave me a rather small hotel budget of $150 to $175/night. If you’ve ever been to Toronto, you know that the only way you can get a hotel room at that rate is to stay at the hotels/motels by the airport, right under the flight path of the planes.

Every trip, I would stay at different Toronto hotels hoping to find a place that I love- a hotel that is trendy, offers great service, cool ambiance, great value, and ideal for having clients over for  cocktails or coffee. I came across Gladstone Hotel through Travelocity and I was able to get a room for $150/night. For the price, the accommodations turned out to be fantastic.

Room 301: The Skygazer Room

The Gladstone Hotel was built in 1889 and named after Gladstone Avenue, next to the hotel. It was designed by local architect G.M. Miller in the Romanesque revival style. The Gladstone Hotel is the oldest continuously operating hotel in Toronto. The Gladstone is a fine example of a Victorian Hotel with beautiful plaster moldings in the grand hallways.

What makes the hotel unique is there is art space or gallery on every floor and each room has been designed by a Canadian artist.  It offers 37 one-of-a-kind hotel rooms from the winning artists. I stayed at room 301, otherwise known as “The Skygazer Room.” The room, decorated in all white furniture, sheets, curtains and accessories, has a meditative or pure ambiance created by the 3D wall treatment of specialized plaster relics shaped like parts of a robot. Yes, the rooms are quite small, but its character makes up for it.

 

Aside from the unique art hotel rooms, Gladstone Hotel has over 70 art exhibitions a year, 3 dedicated gallery spaces and 1 full-time Director of Exhibitions. Art is on display in all corners of the hotel which are open to the public like gallery spaces. The lobby and the lobby bar and restaurant are filled with interesting and cool guests. It has that music or art industry type scene, without being the least bit pretentious.

Since each room represents a different artist’s vision, no two stays will be the same! I can’t wait to visit again and discover other artworks.

Common Area is ideal for having guests over

Each floor has a gallery

Gallery and reception area on the 3rd floor

If you’re an art lover, you would love exploring each floor.

The bar on the first floor has so much character.

 

The restaurant is buzzing at night!

You have to take the elevator – it is quite an experience.
You can learn more about this hotel at: http://www.gladstonehotel.com

 

 

Nicole, her boyfriend of over 6 years Kris and her family, walked 60K in Montreal at the Weekend to End Women’s Cancers to help raise money and awareness for cancer. They flew all the way from BC to do this event in Montreal.  It was such a great day – they met some wonderful people, had a lot of fun (despite the scorching weather) and enjoyed the sights of Montreal. At the finish line, Nicole was so excited to have completed the 60K walk. Then, she got the surprise of her life.

https://vimeo.com/137151085

At the finish line, her mother nudged me and said, “You may want to take a picture of this! I did better, I got videos and photos. This you have to see.