Sorry!

It's probably not a good idea to restart this blog as soon as school starts, but I'm on a roll after spending my whole night on Yvan Rodic's blog. Coming up I'm going to have entries about my recent (month old) trip to Central Europe, during which I went to:

• Prague, Czech Republic
• Vienna, Austria
• Salzburg, Austria
• Munich, Germany

Stay tuned!

“I beg young people to travel. If you don’t have a passport, get one. Take a summer, get a backpack and go to Delhi, go to Saigon, go to Bangkok, go to Kenya. Have your mind blown. Eat interesting food. Dig some interesting people. Have an adventure. Be careful. Come back and you’re going to see your country differently, you’re going to see your president differently, no matter who it is. Music, culture, food, water. Your showers will become shorter. You’re going to get a sense of what globalization looks like. It’s not what Tom Friedman writes about; I’m sorry. You’re going to see that global climate change is very real. And that for some people, their day consists of walking 12 miles for four buckets of water. And so there are lessons that you can’t get out of a book that are waiting for you at the other end of that flight. A lot of people—Americans and Europeans—come back and go, ohhhhh. And the light bulb goes on.”

—	Henry Rollins

4 Hours in Boston

On my way to Martha's Vineyard, (wait for that entry!!) I had a two hour layover in Boston between my train and bus ride, both there and back. I had been to Boston once before and wasn't impressed. The second time, I saw a new side to the few parts of the city I saw. I went from the bus station on Atlantic Avenue to Chinatown, and then the Theater District, walking without any maps and exploring.

Atmosphere: I was 17 years old, alone, and carrying a massive duffel bag when I was in Boston today. I still felt safe in every part of the city. I obviously looked like a tourist, since I asked about 20 people where I should go to eat. The locals were helpful around the train station and the Theater District, but Chinatown was a mess. Chinatown was so different from New York City's Chinatown, in that Chinatown in New York is as busy and crowded as actual China (not that I've been!!), while Boston's Chinatown was more laid back.

Dining : The only place I went to eat in Boston was the Hing Shing Pastry in Chinatown. The bakery was only a tiny corner at the very front of Chinatown. They sell mostly cookies and dessert food, which are all so delicious oh my god

http://www.yelp.com/biz/hing-shing-pastry-boston

Shopping: With only two hours in Boston a day, I wasn't able to shop much. From what I heard, Newberry Street is the place to go!

Entertainment: While I was exploring, I passed many a theater for both independent movies as well as mainstream blockbusters. In addition, people watching in this city is very entertaining!

Overall: I'm certain that if I was given a whole day or two in Boston, I could see everything I needed to. The city is so manageable, with every neighborhood up against each other. Overall, I'd give Boston a 7/10

Image credit: http://wikitravel.org/upload/shared//thumb/9/92/Boston_Financial_District.jpg/300px-Boston_Financial_District.jpg

Nice, France (and Monaco)

Atmosphere: Grittier than Cannes or Marseilles with the artistic vibe of Paris, Nice is my favorite city in France. The water is Gatorade blue, and there are plenty of clubs and bars. Sounds like a generic vacation city, right? As a matter of fact, Nice has a vibrant art scene, as well as interesting street style. It's a lot like Miami in that every local is an attractive and tan twenty-something or an eccentric old lady in fabulous clothes, very little middle ground people.

Dining: I went to Nice a while ago, and unfortunately never recorded the names of restaurants I went to. I can, however, tell you that the dining experience in Nice is as follows: if you find somewhere good, the food is amazing. However, these places are hard to come by. A lot of restaurants in Nice, especially those around touristy areas, claim to have "authentic French Riviera cuisine", when in reality their cuisine is centered around salad Niçoise and fish. One dish that is a specialty in Nice is socca, which is essentially a very thick crepe with salt and pepper. I would go so far as to say the street food in Nice is almost as good as the food served in restaurants.

Shopping: While in Nice I saw a lot of good shopping. Once you venture slightly out of the tourist area you can find designer clothing and independent boutiques that sell cool and distinctly French fashion.

Entertainment: Nice is a vibrant city, which no shortage of things to do. The Matisse Museum is great for any fan of the artist's work, as well as art lovers in general. While I was underage and unable to attend them, I saw quite a few clubs and bars on the streets, although I overheard someone at my hostel say that clubbing is much better in Cannes, a short trip away. Speaking of short trips, the independent republic of Monaco is a half an hour bus ride from Nice's city center. While Monaco has very little to offer if you aren't a billionaire, it's fun to walk around and admire the wealth, as well as take a dip in the ocean, as Monaco does have a lovely beach.

Overall: Nice is a great city. It's beautiful, stylish, eclectic, fun, and just a bit gritty. It's a short ride away from neighboring Cannes, Marseilles, and Monaco, but in my opinion the majority of your time in the area should be spent in Nice, exploring neighborhoods like the promenade and the Old Town. 10/10

Photo credit:http://www.naviquan.com/html/img/0000221A/nice_chateau_25b.jpg

Manchester, Vermont

Atmosphere:

Manchester, Vermont is hands down one of my favorite places in the world. At first glance, it is just another tiny New England town with nothing more than pretty foliage and quaint barns. However, once you delve deeper, you will find a unique town with a vibrant art scene, wonderful cafes, and your new favorite bookstore.

Dining:

Having never actually sat down for dinner in this town, I cannot attest to its restaurants. However, a short drive away is the Red Fox Inn, in Bondville. The food and atmosphere is great, but reservations are needed and it can get pretty pricey.

The only place to go for lunch is the Spiral Press Cafe. Attached to the Northshire bookstore, this cafe has friendly service, fantastic food, and even lets you bring a book you picked up in the adjoined bookstore to read while you eat before buying the book.

Breakfast in Manchester doesn't get any better than Up for Breakfast. The name derives from its top floor position on a small building on one of the main streets.

http://www.redfoxinn.com/

Shopping:

For a tiny town, this town has great shopping. While there are weird artsy clothes you would expect from Vermont, there is also designer outlets for Pac Sun, Kate Spade New York, Vineyard Vines, Michael Kors, Coach, J.Crew, Betsey Johnson, Giorgio Armani, and many others.

The real reason to bring cash to Manchester is no doubt the Northshire Bookstore. This store is the type of place where a book worm can camp out for days. It has every book you can imagine, as well as lots of DVDs, CDs, gifts, and little knick knacks to brighten your room. The staff gives great suggestions, instead of the usual "Oh, you're a teenager? How about Twilight?". They're also very friendly and allow dogs! My favorite part is the massive cast-iron staircase that leads up to the children's sections.

http://www.northshire.com/

Entertainment:

Like a lot of family-centered towns, the majority of Manchester's activity happens in the summer, with concerts and events. However, there are year round art galleries that I would strongly recommend you take advantage of.

Overall:

The best part of Manchester is its proximity to the area. You're a short drive away from nature trails, The Green Mountains, historic mansions such as Hildene, and if you're a nature geek like me you'll want to stop by the VINS (Vermont Institute of Nature and Science), which is kinda like the Raptors Trust here in New Jersey. It has a lot of owls and hawks being rehabilitated, and also has nature walks. As you can see, Manchester is best for the nature-oriented. If you're in the area, it's a great day trip! Overall I'd give it an 8 out of 10.

http://www.hildene.org/

http://www.vinsweb.org/

Photo credit: http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/01/15/53/55/manchester.jpg

First Post: Chatham, New Jersey

For my first post, I thought I'd do the place I know best: the town I live in!

Atmosphere:

Chatham is a largely conservative town, infamously known in the area for its lack of diversity and excessive wealth. However, it is a very safe town. The downtown area is only one main street, comprised mostly of Asian restaurants and banks. If you were to ask a Chatham teenager what they disliked the most about Chatham, it would be that there is "nothing to do". While there are occasional public concerts and activities, they are mostly aimed at young children. For a very bitter (and very accurate) depiction of Chatham, check out this Urban Dictionary definition of Chatham (3rd one down):

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=chatham

Dining:

For such a small town, Chatham offers some unique dining experiences. Chatham food is mostly hit and miss, with very few options. My top picks would be Mitsuba, a restaurant on the main street that has quality Japanese cuisine and while some of the dishes can get on the pricey side, this is probably your best bet for a reasonable meal.

For good old fashioned pizza, Arminio's Italian Corner is well priced and is the a local hangout spot for a lot of "Chathamites", by which I mean middle schoolers.

The best diner in Chatham by far is Angie's Luncheonette. This Greek diner is very bare, and while the food is average it is much better in comparison to the other options on the main street.

http://mitsubachatham.com/

Shopping:

There is no shopping to speak of in Chatham. If you happen to be in Chatham and need clothes, your best bet is to go to either The Short Hills Mall or The Livingston Mall, both a short drive away. The only shop I know of in Chatham is Bliss, although the clothes there are mostly worn by 13 year old girls.

Entertainment:

Entertainment in Chatham is very limited, with most concerts and activities happening in the summer and aimed at children. There is a small movie theater that I really love, called the Roberts Chatham Theater. This theater plays mostly foreign or independent movies, and is very small. If you go (and I strongly suggest you do), be prepared to be seated with a large crowd of senior citizens.

http://www.robertstheatres.com/

Overall:

Chances are of you are in Chatham you are visiting relatives or friends. There is little reason to go out of your way to be here, and I would hardly consider is a "tourist destination". Overall I would rate this town a 2/10, because it is truly dreadful, I mean really one of the most boring places you could possibly imagine. And I've been to Texarkana, Louisiana.

Image credit: http://www.adamslimo.com/images/chatham.gif