The L.A I love

The first time I went to Los Angeles I hated it. I had been travelling for days from San Francisco by route 1, the scenic road, seeing breathtaking landscapes, visiting parks and beaches. Suddenly LA seemed to be a concrete jungle compared to the natural beauties I had seen along the way. Since I don't  give up easily and I was not convinced my impression was the truth and I decided to give LA a second chance, this time returning to spend a week by myself just enjoying the city. Well, needless to say I fell in love with it and went back a couple of times later. Now, I  just wanna go back soon.

LA county is huge and offers lots of things to do, so I decided to write only about the places I have been and to divide it in three parts. Being part I, about Santa Monica and Venice Beach.

Santa Monica

A true Oasis to stay, this is the way I see Santa Monica. It is a perfect city to spend your first vacation days. Santa Monica is peaceful, beautiful and at the same time so fancy, I love it. My suggestion is, if you have time, spend at least 4 days enjoying the place, visiting its bars, restaurants, walking to Venice beach, renting a bike or a rollerblade to have fun and enjoy the amazing view. It is relaxing and you will get the taste of life in California. The good thing is that you don't need a car while staying in Santa Monica, but you will need one for sure when going to Hollywood, Downtown LA and anywhere else around.

Palisades Park and the Third Street Promenade are perfect places for a stroll in the early evening or in the morning.

The pier: The most famous sightseeing in Santa Monica. There you will find the Visitor Center, where you can buy tours to visit the streets of Malibu and Beverly Hills, where the stars have their Mansions,  plus a city tour downtown LA and Hollywood, or if you are in the mood for Movies and Rides, there are tours to the Universal Studios and Disneyland. That's also where you can have some Bubba Gump Shrimp, and go to the Pacific Amusement Park. The Pier is where you have the sensation you are in one of the many movies you've seen before.

Venice

Walking along Santa Monica Palisades Park, you get to Venice Beach. It is not a long walk and it is worth feeling the atmosphere and enjoying it, once there, train on Muscle beach platform and walk by the Venice Canals.

Venice Beach: That's where the unique guys are, that is the place nobody is ashamed to be who they are. You see all types of artists, mystic people and it has such a free atmosphere, that you feel you can wear whatever you want, be exactly who you are and everyone will accept it. As a matter of fact nobody cares who you are or what you do. I confess, the first time I went there I got disappointed, in Venice people look really different from people in Santa Monica, but it is a great place worth seeing with your own eyes.

Muscle Beach: Santa Monica Muscle Beach or Muscle Beach Venice? Well, there is a lot of history if you like, just click on Muscle Beach and there will be  an entire website about the old and the new Muscle Beach Platform. What I can tell from experience, is that if you are addicted to working out, don't miss the chance of training where bodybuilding became popular in The USA, Arnold Schwarzenegger, mentions the beach several times in his book Total Recall My Unbelievably True Story ( Published October 1st 2012 by Simon & Schuster)

That's all for now, next time I will be writing about Downtown LA, Hollywood Boulevard, The Getty Center and WB Studio

If you have visited these places and have more suggestions please feel free to drop me a line

Chris Rigos

Things to do in New York Part III

For the last part of my posts about New York, I've decided to write about shopping and attractions. In the USA there is always a way to spend a lot and there is always a way to make a good deal and enjoy the trip even if you don't have much to spend… I just want to show the options for both pockets

Places I doubt you won’t spend anything

Me&Carol at the M&M Store

The M&M Store –  It’s really awesome , whether you are a chocolate lover or not, you gotta go there. You will see   big M&M’s and you will have the chance of buying not only M&M’s in bulks but also a variety of products.

Magnolia Bakery -    As I wrote last week there’s a tiny one on Grand Central , actually there are seven locations in the USA and 12 outside,  but the famous attraction is located on Bleecker Street  where the  character of Sarah Jessica Parker  (Carrie from Sex and the City ) went .No matter which one you choose I am sure you won’t resist the famous cupcakes

Carlos Bakery- On air for seven seasons the Cake Boss is very popular around the world, if you want to try the famous Canoles or want to see how the best cakes are baked, don’t miss the chance. There is one on Times Square and many others in the USA, but if you are a huge fan and really want to know the first one go to Hoboken, a beautiful city in New Jersey, not very far from New York.

Enough of Free let’s go Shopping

At Century 21 carrying a J&R bag

If you like shopping that’s the best place in the World. In New York you can find almost everything you want, there is a store for every taste and every pocket, from Century 21^st to Prada. 

Madison Avenue:  Is the place to go if you really have a lot to spend, there you’ll find the latest collections of Prada, Emporio Armani, Dolce  & Gabbana, Cartier, Louboutin , Calvin Klein ,Chloe, Cavalli, Gucci, Carolina Herrera to name a few . One of the times I was window shopping in the area I saw a huge line of Limos and the drivers all watching TV each one inside his own car. It is really unusual for my Brazilian eyes.

If you are just a regular human being who loves shopping but doesn’t have thousands of dollars to spend on clothes,  there’s hope . If you go south, close to the World Trade Center Memorial you will find Century 21, there, you can buy almost everything, clothes, accessories, home utilities, with really… I said really good prices, and now Century 21 has a J&R express, the best store for electronics is temporarily closed but you can find their products inside the Century at the J&R Express

If you are so crazy for saving on shopping that don’t mind taking a bus , a taxi , a train, or renting a car, you can go to:

Woodbury Commons -   Although I’ve never been there, people like it a lot and always recommend it. It’s a Premium outlet, so you can expect the best brands for the best prices.It’s located in Central Valley,1 hour North of NYC. If you are staying in Manhattan there are regular buses  leaving Port Authorites and shuttles from many hotels.

 Jersey Gardens–    If you are lazy to go to Woodbury Commons, Jersey Gardens the Outlet Mall  is a good option, there you will find , good prices lots  of cool stores and it is tax-free for shoes and clothes. The Disney outlet store is a must go, you can find tons of good deals at the Jersey Gardens. That’s the mall I shop when in New York. It is located in Elizabeth, a city in New Jersey, very close to Manhattan. There are regular  buses to the mall,  leaving from Port Authority Manhattan.

The Famous Attractions

Rockefeller Center

There are many amazing Musicals on Broadway, you definitely need to see at least one or two.The Phantom of the Opera , is my favorite  and I don’t know anybody who hasn’t fallen in Love the first time they saw it. I have seen the show three times but I hope see it more. Stay closer to the Stage so you get to see the Chandelier falling . 

You can find discount coupons to the Musicals on Times Square or at the Visitor’s Center or if you prefer find your tickets online.

Don’t forget to go up the Empire State building ( be prepared to go Upstairs the Elevator doesn’t go all the way to the top. I remember taking the stairs at some point). There are options to go to the Observatory at 86th floor and also to go to the top at 102nd. If you have time don't forget to go to Top of the Rock at Rockefeller Center, Madame Tussauds, Metropolitan Museum, the Museum of Natural History and many others art Exhibits literally everywhere.

My last advice... if you want to go to many or all of the attractions,  and still save some money for the shopping days:  Buy passes!

Metro cards   This is good if you want to take trains up and down and get to know the underground of the city. Subways in New York are not clean, you will see lots of rats and mice, the trains are crowded … not fancy at all, but one of the fastest ways to get anywhere you want (except during the weekends, when you have to wait for a long time to see a single train and that usually is not the one you need )

NYC Pass   This is the one I will test next time I visit the Big Apple.It  gives you access for  80 attractions+ the Hop On Hop Off bus for a bargain .

NYC it all Tour  For a really good price you get to take a tour on the Hop on Hop off bus ( you get to pick uptown or downtown), Metropolitan Museum ( reserve the whole day to the museum ), visit the Empire State building  and take one of the cruises. The voucher lasts up to 14 days.

Well time to go now next week I will write about Westchester

See You...

I Luv NY

Things you must do in New York part II

Brooklyn Bridge  & Brooklyn Heights

The view from Brooklyn Bridge

                                                                                                      That’s is definitely a must go, just go across the bridge and you will find the most amazing and famous view of the city, it is breathtaking to see Manhattan from Brooklyn. Go by the end of the day so you get to see a beautiful sunset, or if you prefer  to save many steps and keep your body in good shape for  the next days, forget the sunset …take  the subway to Brooklyn any time of the day  and just return by the bridge. Stop as many times as you want to take tons of pictures… I have no idea how many pictures like this I have taken along the years.

PS: subways in New York can drive you crazy, make sure you carry a map and pay attention to some express trains there is one that the first stop is Brooklyn Museum and it's very far from the bridge.

Staten Island Ferry

I have a confession to make. I’ve never been to Ellis Island to see the Statue of Liberty , besides the fact people say  that going to a restroom is not an easy thing, there’s always a huge line with thousands of tourists from all over the world… so for these and some other reasons ( laziness for example) I’ve never taken the boat…but I could look the Statue closer by taken the Staten Island ferry. It ‘s free and the view is beautiful too…just avoid busy hours.

Grand Central Station

If you like amazing architecture it is a must see. Again many films show the Station and the clock is an icon, if you’ve  seen Friends with Benefits , You will remember the scene where Justin Timberlake organizes a MOB to show his love… I used to live in Westchester County and the Grand Central I where all the trains from that region leave and arrive… If you have an extra time take a train pick a city and get to know thet places around the station White Plains is my favorite…but New Rochelle is very close and beautiful too… I will write about them soon . If you need to use a restroom, buy gifts or eat something Yummy , (my friend Joyce told me there is a Magnólia Bakery downstairs ) you can find everything there, there’s also a Tourist Information Center where you can find maps, and very useful discount coupons.

Around Times Square:

Every time you have a chance,go to Times Square that’s the Icon of Manhattan, that’s where you feel you are part of the world and that’s where you will find many people speaking an uncountable number of languages .

Times Square  Visitor Center: if you want to buy tickets with discount, go to the restroom , get some Tourist information and learn more about the history of the Square, go to the Times Square visitor center, it’s located right there close to Toys are us . It’s the best place to get information and there’s always an exhibit there. at the official website you can check schedules for walking tours and what’s happening in the city …

 From a walking distance from Times Square you can go to many other attractions including, Saint Patrick’s Cathedral  ( tours are available on the website) and the Rockefeller Center , where you can take beautiful pictures of the garden in the summer and ice skate in the winter.

Go watch a TV show

Once I won a contest on PLJ ( local radio station ) and had the chance to go to the early show and see Alanis Morissete front roll . It’s a really cool experience, you will get to see the production, the making off  of a TV show. The good news is that you don’t need to win a contest to be part to have this experience, you just have to check the internet to find the programs available at the time of your visit and claim your free tickets. The earlier you know the better. You can find some information online,just google free: tickets TV shows NYC...

And don't forget to touch the Charging bull's horn it brings good luck

It's located in the Financial District

Next week I will write about the places, where I bet you will spend some money....  

                     

Things to do in New York part I

View from Hoboken

Walk a lot , get a Starbucks coffee and walk as a real New Yorker. Enjoy the atmosphere;  the different languages and lots…lots  of people from every corner of the planet ….everywhere. It may be the busiest place on earth but the best when you just want to feel alive. Go to New York and get the feeling of belong in the World.

 I have been to New York  more times than I could count, when I lived in Westchester I spent every weekend in Manhattan or “The City “ one of the many nicknames the Big Apple has received from its millions of admirers… the next posts will be about the most famous city in the World... and why not starting by the Parks?

Free things to do in New York

I’ve decided to start by the Free things, as people say some of the best things in life are free, it is not different when it comes to exploring “the city”*

Part I - Parks

                        Did you know that New York city has   1,700  parks?????

                            Not bad, for a place best known for its skyscrapers 

I bet the first things that come to your mind when talking about New York are the high buildings , or the yellow cabs, but the big Apple is filled with relaxing and beautiful Parks where if you are lucky enough you get to see some celebrities jogging.

Central Park

Central Park in the summer 

The most famous and  one of the biggest ( 3.41  km^2* )  is a must go. I believe that everybody who has visited New York ( no exception) has been there .Central Park receives about 37.5 million visitors a year .Reserve at least 4 hours to enjoy it, but believe no matter how long you stay it’s never enough, if it’s winter you get to ice skate and if it is summer …well … then you really want to seat and relax. I love walking and taking pictures in the park, but next time I am thinking of rollerblading or at least consider renting a bike… Before I forget, if you are a romantic don’t forget to take a ride in one of the carriages, you can buy your tickets online and prices start at $50,00 a ride .

Riverside Park

It maybe not be as famous as the previous one I wrote about,  but it is my favorite for sure, if you saw a movie called  You got Mail with Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks you have to go,  the final scene shows the park on  91^st Street. The Riverside Park  is located on the Riverside of Hudson River on the Upper East Site. it is a perfect place to walk, read a book or just admire the calm of the river

 Bryant Park

This small piece of land is located very close to the Grand Central Station if you go to the Public Library it’s the closest Park. It is really... really beautiful, when you walk there you have the feeling you are in a movie. Actually you can see the Bryant Park in a scene from  Letters  for Juliet. Perfect place to have a perfect New York style lunch 

Washington Square

Besides the beautiful park , located in Greenwich Village, and besides the cool  you can find many stores in the area worth a visit

Battery Park

Battery Park 

When going south don’t miss the Battery Park. It’s a wonderful place located downtown… the Park receives more than 6 million visitors a year, maybe what attracts all these people is the fact that when you want to take the Ferry to Ellis Island to visit the Statue of Liberty, that is where you have to go. The Park has lots of events a year, most of them in the Summer.For more info visit: batterypark.org

Numbers from Wikipedia Parks of New York

For more information visit:NYC Parks

From Canada to The USA by bus

Updated in July 2021

In June 2021, Greyhound cancelled all services between Canadian Cities; Greyhound U.S. is currently operating only 5 routes: Toronto to Buffalo, N.Y., Toronto to New York City, Montreal to Boston, Montreal New York City and Vancouver to Seattle. The Philadelphia Toronto route was cancelled. Hopefully, the reduction in the number of routes  Greyhound can improve their services. After this trip, I described I was brave enough to the Greyhound twice to Cleveland. The last trip was a true nightmare, bad enough to make me go back to visit my friend only after I bought a car. So now I drive there. Still worth reading a little about this experience of what sounds like ages ago

                                                                    freedigitalphotos.net

Greyhound Experience

From Toronto to Ocean city , from Salisbury to Toronto by Bus

Itinerary :Toronto-Manhattan-Newark-Baltimore-Wimington-Dover-Salisbury-Ocean City.

What a night.... what a day. My bus left at 7:45 pm as scheduled and, then I went away again hit the road… one of my favorite parts of the trip. I love to see how people behave in bus terminals and that is where diversity has its strongest presence. As usual there was a kid crying all the way but earphones help a lot.
 10:00 pm: Immigration - process was fast but we had to wait for one hour in the bus to head to NYC. During the night there were two stops, but nothing I wanted to eat. I bought water and a plain croissant, it was ok.

7:20 am: I was back for few hours but back to NYC …what a crazy place… still the same busy place that never sleeps. So many people… for sure thousands of people doing yoga on Times Square and a huge line in front of CBC with screaming  girls waiting for John Legend. I had my breakfast and came back to the terminal… not before taking many pictures of the signs I love .

Times Square at 7:30 a.m - yoga and John Legend

Back to the terminal… my bus was one hour late because the driver did not show up.. and I still had to take the Ocean City bus that leaves once a day . On the way to Ocean City the traffic was horrible, I chose the best day to travel ( I am being hironic) Firefly Music Festival started the day I passed by Dover and it is on the way to Salisbury, place I should change buses. Well in a nutshell my bus arrived 3:30 hours late and I had to take the regular bus to Ocean city. The driver from the other bus waited until 15 minutes before we arrived. It is incredible how Greyhound can be bad, they have no communication with the drivers, and there is always I drive assistant. The trip from Salisbury to Ocean City by  public bus was really bad. Anyway 4:00 hours later than I was supposed to be, there I was in Ocean City.

                                                                        freedigitalphotos.net

Return Trip

From Salisbury to Toronto

Itinerary: Salisbury to Philadelphia. From Philadelphia to Toronto.

On my way back 6 days later another problem with Greyhound they simply changed the pick- up location in Salisbury, but there was nothing written in the ticket. To my surprise when I arrived at the old gas station also called terminal, there was a sign with the new location. They moved 3 days before to a location that is 20 minutes away by car and I believe impossible to get by bus… I was lucky my friend drove me to the other station... I wonder what would have happened if I was alone...there are no taxis around, and the region is very poor.

Once in Philadelphia, the Terminal was ok near the Reading Market. My bus was going to leave at 11:00 pm… I arrived at 2:30 pm so I had time to feel the city.

Megabus experience

Well you have to take Megabus in the middle of nowhere near Amtrak Station – 30^th Ave and Market Street, the place is under construction so it looks dangerous but actually it is ok. According to the Visitors Centre clerk “ you get what you pay for” so never expect much. By the way if you have a bus ticket you have no right to rent a locker, the lockers are only available to Amtrak's passengers.

Bus Terminal in Philadelphia

The bus arrived one hour later and we had to wait in a place that there are no seats or shelter, in the winter it must be horrible. Once the bus the trip started I had the impression the bus was passing on rocks and going to the right. We arrived in Buffalo 8:30 am and the driver told us that due to a mechanical problems we would had to wait half an hour to a mechanic… so after 5 hours Megabus sent us an email apologizing and telling that there would be a refund…they sent us another bus at 2:20 pm
We all arrived safe with a huge delay. Megabus was decent to return us the money

If you go travel Toronto- New York - Toronto it is ok to go by bus...but if the place is hidden somewhere in the United States, rent a car ...take the plane, a train or meet your friends somewhere else.

MILAN

FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Travelling is amazing, visiting new places, meeting new people, sightseeing... but  what about travelling and learning something at the same time? Even better, isn't it?

There was a time I was very stressed... too much work, no rest. I was working all day at the office and taking Italian classes in the evening.What a beautiful language, what a dream to visit  that country. I have a bachelor of Arts in Tourism, and during college I had the privilege to study History of Art. I remember seeing videos about Renaissance in Florence and start dreaming about seeing all that beauty with my own eyes... I was always thinking of traveling to see The Birth of Venus (Sandro Botticelli) Galleria Degli Uffizi or going to Venice before it is too late. So I started searching for courses. My teacher told me there was a good school in Florence: Istituto Italiano, so I packed my backpack and flew to Italy. The next articles will be about my experience there, places to go, things to see and do for all tastes, pockets and interests.

I bought my ticket to Milan at Tam Viagens, direct flight, perfect ... unfortunately I stayed too short in the city, I went around to see how beautiful and busy it is, people sitting in the bars on the sidewalks, big city atmosphere but with the European Architecture... 

Well, I am lucky I know someone who can help you to get the most of the city, a friend who lives in Toronto but comes from Lomazzo, a small town between Milan and Como. She studied in Milan for 5 years,and was very nice to contribute with article and give great tips... so, take notes!!!



Galleria Vittorio Emanuele

Places to go: Piazza Del Duomo and Galleria Vittorio Emanuele are the most famous places, but it is in  Santa Maria Delle Grazie that you can see the masterpiece " The Last Supper"  by Leonardo Da Vinci. Some other must see places are Palazzo Reale, Pinacoteca di Brera, Castello Sforzesco, Parco Sempione and Teatro alla Scala. Milan has some many attractions that no matter how long you stay you will have an amazing place to go.

Things to do:

It is a great place for nightlife... If you are in your late twenties, early thirties don't miss the chance of going dancing in Old Fashion. For the ones who are able to spend more, Just Cavalli is the place (yes, Roberto Cavalli is the owner). For those who prefer observing the beauty, Globe, located on the top of Coin building, has an amazing view of the city. In case you are a fan of unusual things go to Nottingham Forest.  there you can choose very different drinks served in glasses that are anything but ordinary.

For Spring and Summer Bar Bianco, in Parco Sempione, and any of the bars on Corso Sempione are worth  checking.

Nottingham Forest: Unusual drinks; unusual way to serve them

Shop, Shop, Shop....

FreeDigitalPhotos.net                         

 Galleria Vittorio  Emanuele is the first place people think they should go to buy... but Milano has much more to offer: Via Della Spiga or Via Monte Napoleone are also great places to purchase all the brands... Gucci, Prada, Louis Vuitton, Dolce & Gabbana, Tiffany , Burberry, Armani, Cavalli just to name some...

Where to eat


                                                                  FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Navigli is the best place to eat: there you will have the chance to try Ham, Risotto, Beer for the first time ... I forgot to mention Ham, Risotto, Beer Ice Cream... have you ever heard ? If it is too much you can still have a chocolate, or another regular flavor write down the name of the place, it is Crazy Ice  hard to forget.

For the ones with a more expensive taste Maio, On top of La Rinascente is great. Do you like Caviar? How does it sound, Rice tagliolini with caviar?  Ristorante Cracco  (owned by The famous Chef Cracco) is the place to have dinner, it offers fancy creations.

                                                                    If you want to Study

Some of the best Universities in Italy are located in Milan: Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Universita Luigi Bocconi, Politecnico di Milano, Universita degli Studi di Milano.
If Italian is your passion, Milan offers many schools Accademia Di Italiano , Scuola Leonardo Da Vinci with prices starting at 200,00 euros a week. For more information click Language International..

                                                   

                                                 

                               Spring is the best time of the year, but summer is also great and very hot.

  

Where to stay: Talk to a travel agent, or click in your favorite: Booking.com.com  or  Trip Advisor
If you prefer saving money go to Prices for dorms start at CAD 38,00. I personally visited there, the location is great, good atmosphere and clean .

                                                      

                                                        FreeDigitalPhotos.net

• Book your visit to The Last Supper, as soon as you can at least one month before, more info: http://www.tickitaly.com/

• In Italy you can't pay for the bus inside the vehicle, you have to buy the ticket (biglietto) before taking the transport. If you need to take a bus go to a tabaccheria, to a bar or to a Newsstand (edicola). once you are in the bus you have to validate the ticket in a machine. If you are asked to show your ticket and it is not validated you have to pay a fine.
• Save money buying  Milano Card: it's only 6,50 euros  or 13 euros for 3 days. With the card you have free public transport ( limited to 48 hours), free medical assistance, some free museums, discounts in many attractions a lot more things check out their website: http://www.milanocard.it/

Thanks Silvia for your contribution !!!

If you have any questions or  tips, please leave a comment 

My Co-op experience in Canada

                                                            http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/

Hi friends,

I can say I am a lucky person.
I had a great co-op experience In Toronto Green Community , a grassroots non-profit organization that educates people about environment, helping Torontonians to leave in a more sustainable way in order to make Toronto a greener city, a better place to live, work and play.
After volunteering for two Christmas in their Eco Gift Wrapping program I understood that the best thing is to  work for a cause you believe, and I believe in their dreams of a better world.
I can say it was a perfect combination of learning and having a great time helping.
During three months I had the chance to promote the organization in many events related to their programs. I participated on  Lost Rivers Walks; guided tours that play with our imagination. Highly knowledgeable volunteers guide people around Toronto showing the places where hidden creeks and rivers are; it was very rewarding to promote the walks because they are a free amazing experience where you can learn about history and environment at the same time.
I am proud to say that I gave my little contribution to their new website that is worth checking... so many new experiences, I helped in their Community Garden  I made signs for workshops and met very nice, helpful  good people that work because they are passionate and believe in what they do.
In addition to the work experience, I learned how powerful we can be when we are passionate about the things we do... my passion is Marketing, it challenges me...  And you what is your passion ? Think about and go for it!

           Volunteering in the Community Garden