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