Why New Orleans exceeded my expectations:

1. Preservation Hall

So we were wandering down St Peter Street and came across this lovely old building, to which I exclaimed “Wow, look at this amazing building” followed by “Oh. It’s Preservation Hall.” :P Definitely a good idea to catch it on a Sunday or week night if possible, as I’ve heard lines can be outrageous. We showed up 10 min early, got in for the first set, standing right behind the benches, and then after a few people sitting on the floor in the front row left, we got to sit up close for the 2nd set of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band.  Best. Jazz. Ever. (Also, they say no flash photography, no food/drinks, and no video. Well there were 3 chairs on the side reserved for VIP people and they were drinking giant daiquiris and were not familiar with the camera function of no flash. So I took a couple videos. It was a case of apologize later!) And there’s a resident cat. Le sigh.

2. Frenchman Street

When you ask a local where they like to hang out to see some music, pretty much every response started with Frenchmen Street. Just across Esplanade Ave is the real deal of New Orleans nightlife from free venues like The Spotted Cat (1 drink minimum required. Also of note: there is a PIANO in the bathroom) to cover venues across the street of Snug Harbor and d.b.a. (which has 2 little rooms with lookout windows that are awesome for some Saturday night people watching). Again. Best. Jazz. Ever. in this city.

3. Food. Food. Food.

The food in New Orleans? Amazing. And if there ever is a city that I’m thankful to be a pescatarian instead of vegetarian, it’s New Orleans. Fish was quite often the only non-red meat option on the menu apart from side dishes and appetizers. So I ate a lot of fish, and a lot of fried things, and it was all pretty amazing. My favorite brunch was at Stanley, which is right on Jackson Square. I even found a veg-friendly place for lunch that was kind of too much Portland, called 13 (shhh… I went back the next night for the tachos. Don’t judge.)

4. The M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I River

“It’s lovely to live on a raft. We had the sky up there, all speckled with stars, and we used to lay on our backs and look up at them, and discuss about whether they was made or only just happened.”
– The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

I had a huge fascination with the Mississippi River, growing up. I loved Huck Finn, and the word Mississippi, and that it was the biggest river in the country, and growing up on a river (well for a few years) it was a huge source of entertainment. So my #1 priority on my first day was to go see the river (after breakfast at Ruby Slipper, anyway). I crossed the trolley tracks and walked up the steps to the river. Ta da. The M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I.

5. Sazeracs & French 75

There’s so much more to New Orleans drinking than hurricanes and daiquiris. Knowing that I’m not a huge fan of sugary drinks, my coworker recommended I try a Sazerac while in NOLA. So my first night out, I ordered one at dba, and it’s my new favorite cocktail. A Sazerac is rye whiskey, Herbsaint (anise-flavored liquor), bitters, and a lemon peel. I also tried an orange variety at Three Muses, which was also excellent. Another new drink I tried was the French 75, also at Three Muses. This one is a combination of gin, champagne, lemon juice, and sugar. Apparently named after the French 75mm gun for it’s “kick”. I like.

6. Biking

I considered taking a Katrina tour, but then it ended up being my last day and I still hadn’t. I had reservations about booking one because of what I felt could be an exploitative nature of sitting on a giant bus operated by a huge tour company. I could be wrong, but after booking a bicycle tour instead, I learned that our guide used to drive one of those buses and he said he started his bike tour company because he felt like there were only 3-6 people on each bus that he wanted to share his city with. Interesting viewpoint. So while our bike tour covered a bit of Katrina info as we pedaled along Esplanade Ave (known for being on a ridge) where as the Treme was flooded, it was also full of history and fun way to learn more about the city. We also rode through Saint Louis Cemetery #3. Bike tours are my favorite way to learn about a new city.

7. Architecture & French influence

Back to my low expectations of this city. I was, for whatever reason, expecting the French Quarter to be full of drunk college students and hillbillies. I guess I’d heard too many stories about NOLA & Bourbon Street. While I crossed the path of quite a few staggering folks, the French Quarter also has plenty of little empty side streets to take in all the amazing architecture (and do a few jumping shots. I always wear Lululemon running shorts under this dress — good for jumping, well and not flashing people when I sit down wherever I please). How about all the wrought iron and shutters? Magnificent.

8. Getting a drink to go

Open container laws are fun. While Portland is pretty lax about drinking in parks (I’ve never heard of anyone having a problem with bringing wine on a picnic or beers while playing bocce), it’s also kind of fun to be able to leave a restaurant with your unfinished drink. Now there’s a reason that some of these stores are still in business… because you’d have to be drunk already to shop there? And every street in the French Quarter has at least one shop with a wall of daiquiri machines. I asked for a sample, and it tasted like an alcoholic Slurpee.

9. Streetcar & Garden District homes

I love exploring cities by train, public transit, bikes, and walking. I suppose I could just say I have a fascination for non-car transportation. It’s fun to see how people get around a city… both in the present and the past, so I thought it was cool that New Orleans has the oldest continuously operating streetcar in the world. For $1.25 you can take the St Charles line all the way through the Garden District until the end of the line. A great way to spend a lazy afternoon. On the return trip, we got off to check out Magazine Street for dinner and then walked back to the French Quarter. Oh and the Garden District homes? I didn’t understand what the big deal about the Garden District and houses was all about, but it turns out that St Charles street is lined by mansions and old historic buildings. There’s plenty to look at on the 13 mile trip. I was also pleased to overhear an older gentleman on the streetcar complaining that this $1.25 trip was better than a “real” tour of the Garden District that they’d taken previously (which I imagine was on a bus).

10. Summer in fall

Coming from Portland in October, the weather was just perfect in New Orleans. There were a few locals in boots and sweaters, meanwhile I was in a sundress. Come on people, where I’m from this is summer. :)

After visiting New Orleans, it’s hard to believe that Hurricane Katrina (and all the horrific images of the destruction) was only six years ago, and that the city and it’s amazing people have recovered their city.

A few things that surprised me about New Orleans?

• All the smoking! I’m not used to it anymore!
• Keep NOLA Weird? I was pleased to find that freak flags are flying high in NOLA. It was like being in Portland.
• Safety first? Ok, I’d heard all kinds of rumors and scary stories about visiting New Orleans, and I never feel too apprehensive about my safety while traveling. So, I was told the cemeteries aren’t good to visit solo because people get robbed a lot there. Which seemed paranoid to me, and I then I went on my bike tour and I must say, as long as you’re going during daylight I don’t see the big deal, especially on bike. It was fun zooming down the lanes of the cemetery, much easier to cover a lot of ground on bike.
• Solo traveler confusion. While I wasn’t a solo traveler on this trip, my boyfriend was at a work conference on my first day, so I had a day to wander about town. On Saturday morning, I went to breakfast at Ruby Slipper. There was a huge line, but thankfully I got seated at the bar immediately. Yay! I then wandered about for a while and then stopped at JAX Brewery for a beer overlooking the Mississippi, and the guy at the door asked me three (yes, three) times if I was alone. Him: “Just one?” Me: “Yep.” Him: “Just you?” Me: “*laugh* yep, just me” Him: “are you alright? Just you, then?” Me: “yes, fantastic, thank you” Him: “well then, right this way.”

Have you been to New Orleans?

I started this proper list of things that I love about fall, last year, just to remind myself… So here’s the 2011 updated, with 77 things this year. Epic!

1. leather boots
2. crunchy leaves
3. scarves (a serious weakness)
4. cozy striped socks (and argyle! Of which, Target has $5 argyle over-the-knee socks right now. Amazing)
5. English tea w/milk
6. apple orchards
7. Hulu
8. rain boots (looking forward to wearing my Converse-style rainboots! & bees!)
9. coffee
10. Powell’s bookstore
11. reading
12. cooking over-elaborate meals (this 3 hour soup comes to mind)
13. snuggling (kittehs or boys)
14. hikes
15. tights & skirts (cable knit!)
16. live music/Doug Fir
17. soup
18. fall-ish tunes
19. change/fresh starts
20. duvets
21. yellow
22. baking
23. chai lattes
24. plaid
25. wine
26. shooting guns (Don’t judge. I’m from the country.)
27. movies/beer/pizza/Cajun tots at McMenamins (tasty!)
28. home goods stores
29. pretending to love shopping
30. argyle (see #4)
31. learning
32. pumpkin everything, (including pumpkin spice lattes)
33. apple sauce (planning a canning party. I’m so almost 30)
34. hoodies (cozy)
35. Thai food
36. cities
37. cinnamon
38. whiskey
39. planning winter trips (last year Iceland. This year??)
40. planning 1 winter escape (somewhere warm & cheap! February? March?)
41. skinny jeans tucked into boots
42. pretty maps (yet another serious weakness)
43. layering
44. dreaming of Barcelona
45. popcorn
46. the air
47. food carts with heated seating areas
48. baths
49. colors
50. crying to Sigur Ros or Beck’s Sea Change (no explanation. It’s not 2 hrs and 14 min/week worth though, clearly I need to listen to more Sigur Ros)
51. corduroy
52. massive breakfasts
53. geocaching
54. making out in the cold
55. trains
56. watching people be excited about college football
57. spin class
58. yurt camping
59. finding new music
60. yoga pants
61. long dinners
62. storms
63. writing
64. flannel sheets
65. indoor workouts (Bar Method!)
66. even more indoor time: a new cooking class
67. board games
68. mashed potatoes
69. lazy weekend mornings catching up on my Google Reader in bed
70. carbs
71. rocking sudoku
72. sucking at crosswords
73. seasonal ales
74. dark nail polish (OPI Over the Taupe)
75. museums
76. the words ‘crisp’ & ‘cozy’
77. sweaters…

photo set on flickr

What do you love about fall? Share in the comments!

1. MacBook Aaaaaair - My laptop broke last month (can we blame my lack of blogging on that? Ok, good) My sweet little Dell 710m was a trusty little lappie for almost 5 years! So after comparing newer Dells and Macs, I ended up deciding on the Air. Reason #1: It’s tiny and cute like a netbook, but still has just enough of the necessary laptop features. #2 (heh): Price. I thought about getting a Pro, but a basic Pro (same price range) is kind of the worst of both worlds. #3: this will make my occasional “work from a coffee shop” time so much easier since it’s super-light and starts up in oh 1/2 a second. I’m officially back to the dark side. The iPhone = gateway drug.apple $1299

2. Old-school FAIL – Classic Home Shopping network ladder fail, from Fail blog. It’s one of my YouTube favorites, and I still can’t stop watching it… “Actually I didn’t have it locked… it is very safe to operate…” youtube

3. Things Organized Neatly – I came across this tumblr via Swissmiss a few months ago, and still take a peak every few days. It reminds me of the scene in Amelie where her mother cleans out her purse. thingsorganizedneatly

4. New places to eat and/or drink around Portland – I love trying new restaurants… I managed to tear myself away from my favorites go out too much this month… new places I would return to: Tabla, Muu-Muu’s, Night Light Lounge, Cabezon, Red Flag (this place cracks me up), and Broder… Mock all you want, but Foursquare is amazing for cataloging everywhere you’ve wandered into each month. Place I really want to try next: Secret Society. foursquare

5. The Shining @ Bagdad Theater – Groupon had a free Secret Screening event at The Bagdad. I knew buying too many Groupons would pay off eventually! Anyway, it was sufficiently fun… plus free beer and the movie was not as scary as I remembered it being 10 years ago. Bagdad Theater free

6. Gifting – You know when you find something that someone would absolutely love, and it’s so “them” that it’s just kind of automatic to snag it for them? Makes me happy. Excited for Christmas. :)

7. Mad Men – Yes, I know. I’m about 4 years late to the Mad Men party. Everyone has been telling me I would love Mad Men since oh, their first season. I finally checked out the first 3 episodes on Netflix and was [obviously] hooked. Thankfully I have about five months of dreary weather to catch up on Mad Men. netflix $eriously, why only 3 episodes on 1 DVD, Netflix? Why$

8. Betsey Johnson tights – To be honest, I’ve never been a fan of Betsey Johnson anything. Too pink, too over the top, too gaudi. And then I ran across a 4-pack of tights (grey, grey, argyle, and black textured) in a Rue La La sample sale for Target-ish prices. Anyway, I’m a huge fan! I’ll still be giggling and/or cringing at most of their products, but the tights I love. ruelala $25

9. The XX – I got a few free songs of The XX earlier this year, and added to my Pandora station, and I’m still kind of obsessed with them. amazon $6.99

10. Portland, rain, pretty leaves… – I took this pic from the tram up to OHSU. Another reminder of why I love Portland and fall. :)

What’s on your list?

1. Liberty of London – Remember when I went overboard on buying Liberty of London stuff? Yep, still like it.
2. World Cup 2010 – Was I stoked for World Cup 2006? No, I was on the “meh” level, but being in Marseilles and going to local pubs to watch games and then watching the French go ballistic after the Brazil/France (quarterfinal?) was awesome. So this time around, I have the infectious enthusiasm of my coworkers and a few work projects that are related, so yeah, excited for World Cup 2010? Definitely! Come on, it’s stuff white people like.
3. Häagen-Dazs Five Ice Cream – Ginger – “It tastes like ginger” Yum.
4. window gardening – I got a late start at my community garden spot, because of my move, so I started 2 small planters on my balcony that I moved to my windows after the move (arugula, basil, mint, and 1 strawberry plant). The basil died, and my kitteh is making great time on eating the arugula. Which inspired the Arugula Pecorino Pizza before it’s all gone.
5. She & Him – I won tickets to the She & Him show in Bend on Memorial Day. le sigh! Volume I & II. So good.
6. iPhone4 - I can haz? birthday coming up, yes.
7. Mumford & Sons – Rather obsessed with these fellows of late. Also, you can listen to the entire album for free on [gasp] MySpace. And if you weren’t already in love with them…
8. Gap linen shorts – You know how some people say you shouldn’t buy a ton of the same thing in different colors? Dude. Those people obviously don’t have issues finding shorts that a. fit in the waist b. fit in the butt c. are tight enough around the leg. So, I bought green, blue, and white. I did put the yellow and pink ones back… for another time?
9. Pink Gin Fizz – not a big fan of sweet drinks, but I can get behind sweet/sour. Shortcut: Grapefruit Izze + oj + gin= tasty.
10. Oregon coast – I spent some time napping in the sand dunes and sunshine last weekend. <3

What’s on your list?

1. vitamin d -  how amazing is our early spring in Portland? Pretty frickin’ amazing. This 60 degree (sorry non-Americans) weather in February is stellar — skirt and flip flop weather — inconceivable! free the sun photo by notsogoodphotography

2. opi over the taupe nail polish – I prefer to call this color Kalamata Olive, as taupe is such a boring color. I’m not a big nail polish fan, as documented by #84: take care of my nails, but I really like the mix of purple/dark. And who knew painting your nails was so easy? For some reason I remember it being extremely difficult to stay in the lines… I may have missed my calling. ;) $7 opi

3. blue birdie lariat necklace – I finally spent my Groupon coupon for Relish — well most of it anyway (I’m waiting for all the new spring items to finish my shopping). Anyway, Relish is such a lovely shop and they stock Marimekko fabric, that was begging me to start a sewing project, but I really don’t need anything at the moment. Regardless… <3  $52 relish

4. my kitteh – My cat is taking over my blog! She should have her own category, yes? So 2 weeks in, I’m well on my way to becoming one of those cat ladies. I’ve also been cleaning my apartment like a hypochondriac because the thought of having a “cat smell” apartment scares me. Thankfully, Mr Essa Selleck is quite the tidy cat. $85 oregon humane society

5. ristretto roasters – I’ve started a bad habit of going here for an afternoon or lunchtime wander. Superb coffee (ok, ok and an occasional ridiculously cheap donut) $1 ristretto roasters

6. tulips – my favorite flower of all time. I bought a tulip plant at the grocery store for $3, (cheaper than flowers!) and then it promptly died a week later, but it was still worth it. $3 safeway photo by smpte101

7. chalkdots – these are so cool! I got a set of three chalkboard paint wall stickers last month. Apparently they’re for children or some such nonsense. I’m using one as a menu board in my kitchen… now what to do with the other two… $15 gilt groupe (invitation)

8. mini flat iron – whoa, nail polish and a flat iron all in the same list? I’m on the road to high-maintenance… but my excuse for the straightener was that it was on sale at Rue La La & it wouldn’t hurt to add it to my travel packing list… and I do what I want. $25 linea pro

9. the guinea pig diaries: my life as an experiment – AJ Jacobs’ third book did not disappoint. And I apologize for being that person giggling on the bus all week. $10.20 amazon

10. zipcar – I still kind of want a car again, but Zipcar is pretty cool… except for when I misplaced it the other night at the gym… that never happened when I had my own car. :P $6.30+ zipcar

What’s on your list?

1. groupon – how cool is Groupon? OK, this week’s deals have completely sucked, but maybe that’s a good thing, as I’ve bought way too many deals lately — really, you can never have too many home goods and massages though. Plus, it’s awesome getting a $10 credit when a friend buys something. groupon

2. striped knee socks – Japan officially has the coolest sock selection. I bought a pair of striped knee socks when I was in Tokyo, and they’re my absolute favorite socks — perfect for winter and they make me smile. American Apparel sells some similar [almost as cool] ones, but not sure on the fit as they’re unisex, so they might be gigantic in the ankles. $10 american apparel

3. green – I love green. Yep, I’m oddly drawn to green. I often find myself thinking “ooh I really like something about this…” and then I’m all “oh, it’s because that entire wall is painted green.” Perhaps that’s what prompted me to buy a green handbag a few months ago. <3

4. learning to make a perfect omelette – I checked out Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking at the library last fall and as luck would have it, got to keep it for several months. I had lots of time to practice making the perfect omelette — as you may have guessed it’s all about the butter. $18.50 amazon

5. cuff bracelets – Although I’ve never been much of a jewelry fan, I love cuff bracelets. I bought a silver one in Essaouira, Morocco and it’s one of my favorite travel ‘souvenirs’.

6. dahlias – I love dahlias because they’re almost obnoxiously colorful and every single one is completely different… and they remind me of summer.

7. love it or leave it coat rack – a daily reminder to live at 100%, instead of just surviving. Life. is. short. $24 urban outfitters

8. burt’s bees chapstick – every day’s a jolly holiday with you Burt! $3 everywhere

9. better off ted – This show is incredibly funny. Add it to your Hulu queue stat! free hulu

10. grey suede pumps – I have joint custody originally found/borrow often a pair of Franco Sartos. They make me smile. nordstrom rack

What’s on your list?

1. Great Beer. Germany, specifically Bavaria, is home to some of the best beer I have ever tasted.  It goes down smooth, even if it is served room temperature.  Each type of beer has its own special glass to be served in, and pouring a beer with good head is practically an art.  Plus, I don’t feel like I get the hangovers I get when I drink American beer — maybe it has something to do with the lack of preservatives in it…
2. The mixture of old and new. No matter what city you travel to, large or small, Germany has a beautiful mix of 100-year-old buildings and modern establishments.  I love how you can explore churches that were built in the 1400′s then head next door to a newer restaurant for lunch.  Since America has only been established for a few hundred years, I feel like we don’t have all the rich history and ancient structures like they do in Germany.
3. Amazing bread. There is something about the bread in Germany that is to die for.  Whether you get rolls or baguettes, the outside is golden brown and crispy, and the inside is soft and fluffy.  I have not been able to find anything close to this in the States.  It’s good, but not nearly as tasty as German bread.
4. Döner kebabs. Quite possibly the best late-night, drunk food ever!  Döners are Turkish sandwiches featuring thinly shaved meat (beef, lamb or turkey) that is piled into special bread pocket and topped with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, cucumbers and a special sauce.  They are amazing!  In my college town they had a kebab restaurant, but it’s not quite the same as the ones you find in Germany.
5. Awesome public transportation. I love how you can get around Germany without a car.  No matter the size of the town or city, there is some form of public transportation for you to take.  I am especially fond of the train system.  I have NEVER taken a train to travel extended distances in America.  I feel like it’s frowned upon to do so.  In Germany, everyone takes trains to travel within the country or throughout Europe, and they are very nice and comfortable.
6. Proximity to other countries. I love how when you live in Germany, you have the opportunity to travel to a variety of other nations for not a lot of money.  There are a number of airlines that offer super cheap flights or you can buy a Euro-rail pass and just explore.  Sometimes it boggles my mind that a flight to LA from Atlanta can cost almost $500 but in Germany you can luck out and get a flight for much less than 100 euros.
7. Interesting deli meat and cheese. My favorite deli meat in Germany is bologna-like and has mushroom slices inside.  It is so good, but unfortunately you can’t find it in the States – so sad.  You can also get this Gouda-like cheese with smoked ham pieces inside of it.  Paired with the mushroom meat and a fresh roll, it’s the best way to start the day.
8. Laid back lifestyle. Most of the people that I met in Germany were much more open-minded and live a laid back life.  The legal drinking age for beer is 16 and for liquor 18, and the laws concerning it are not nearly as strict as they are here.  I have never been carded when in Germany, but I am nearly 27 and still get carded when I buy alcohol in most places in the US.  Drinking alcohol is considered a way of life over there.  In America, specifically the South, people look down on drinking and act like it’s the biggest sin in the world to drink a beer with dinner.
9. Working to live and not living to work. Employees receive 5 weeks or more of vacation each year, and a lot more paid holidays.  People are expected to take lunch hours.  If you want to have a beer with lunch, no one thinks twice about it.  I feel like people are much more able to put their families first as opposed to here where companies expect you to give everything you have for your job, and don’t care if you have time left over to spend with the people you love.
10. Being multilingual. Most people you meet in Germany can speak more than one language, and especially our generation, are fluent English speakers.  Some of them are able to even speak a third language, and people are proud of their skill.  Children begin learning languages at an early age and continue to do so throughout their schooling.  I wish America put more emphasis on children learning foreign languages in school.

So, those are some of my 10 favorite things that make me happy about Germany!  If you’ve been there before, is there anything that makes you smile when you think about Germany?

Germany is definitely on my list still (next time I’m leaving the airport)! Now go check out my potty humor guest post, Toilets of the World!

1. The Santa Barbara Mission: As a kid in California, you learn about missions in fourth grade, and SB’s is known as the Queen of the Missions because it’s so darn pretty. They hold mass there regularly and you can also tour the grounds for a bit of a price. Or you can be like my friend and me, and sneak in the exit pretending you’re looking for your mom!
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2. The Hills: No, not the MTV version, but the mountainous hills that back Santa Barbara. They’re absolutely exquisite all year long — and full of awesome hikes if you’re the outdoorsy type.
3. State Street: State Street has something to offer every traveler.  It’s a shopper’s dream, a foodie’s desire, and can fuel people watching for hours. With stores lining State Street for miles — as well as a plethora of bars and restaurants — you might not be able to tackle it all in one day.
4. The Gauchos: As a proud graduate of the University of California – Santa Barbara, I am a loyal supporter of UCSB athletics. The Gauchos (which is an Argentinean cowboy) offer 20 different sports to suit anyone’s fancy. The women’s basketball and men’s soccer programs are always good [and fun to watch]. When the soccer team won the national championship in 2006, the students in nearby Isla Vista (where everyone who attends UCSB lives), put the goal post in the ocean!
5. Beach Cruisers & Bike Paths: All the students at UCSB, as well as a lot of the community, use their bikes as transportation and recreation. The bike du jour is a beach cruiser! Hop on one for a ride on the well-maintained bike paths that go all over SB. Can’t beat it.
6. The Beach: Gorgeous beaches are all over Santa Barbara. The waves aren’t anything to brag about, because of where SB is geographically located, but it’s still great!
7. Palazzio: This is my go-to restaurant that I always have to hit up when I’m in town. With family-style portions and a vast menu, it will be hard to choose just one thing to eat! My favorite is rotini with a Gorgonzola cream sauce. They also usually do a cheaper lunch version with individual sized entrees.
8. Flip Flops: Thongs of any variety are the suggested footwear for the entire year. It’s taken me a long time to start wearing real shoes again after spending four great years in SB.
9. Wine! Santa Barbara and the neighboring Santa Ynez Valley (about 30 minutes up the road) are home to some of the finest wineries in the world. The movie Sideways was filmed in nearby Solvang (a pleasant daytrip in itself) and lots of wineries offer free or low-cost tastings.
10. The Weather: Santa Barbara runs a solid 75-85 degrees on a regular basis. Sure, they’ve got some morning fog and it can get cold (never below 50), but who doesn’t want to wear shorts and flip flops all year long?

Great, now I need to add Santa Barbara to my travel list!  :)

1. Photography: Greece is just one big photo op. It’s seriously hard to take a bad picture in Greece. The Mediterranean and whitewashed buildings with blue doors, combined with sunlight and sunsets, make the Cyclades islands a prime photography destination.
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2. Beaches: With 6,000 islands in Greece (only 227 inhabited) you’re sure to find at least one to your liking: red sand, black sand, white sand, crowded, desolate, nude… The only type of beach that Greece doesn’t have is one that requires wearing a top. Beware ladies, old American & Canadian men with telephoto lenses abound on Santorini (they’re on Mykonos too, but who am I kidding, they wouldn’t be taking our photos).
3. Ferries: Transportation between the islands in Greece is fantastic. With the addition of high speed ferries several years ago, there always seems to be a ferry arriving or departing. While some people bemoan the slow standard ferries, they are the perfect slow travel option when you have no where to be, sunning on the open top deck.
4. Sailing: Sailing the Med sounds like the ultimate luxury fantasy, but there are many budget sailing options if you don’t happen to have your own yacht. ;)  I took a budget sailing trip – 8 people to a 50′ yacht.  It was close quarters, but still a fun experience. Highlights were swimming out in the middle of the Mediterranean (right off the boat!) and pulling up alongside Russian mega yachts in-port. Ahh, the sailing life.
5. Windsurfing & biking: Several islands in Greece are world renowned kitesurfing and windsurfing locations.  Since I was on a budget, I didn’t want to take the $230 6-hour windsurfing class in Naxos. I asked if they had any deals or intro classes and ended up getting a 2-hour lesson for $13! Add in my bike rental of 3 euros a day and I was sporting it up at a bargain.
6. Wine: Ouzo is most often associated with all things Greek, but Greece is also a booming wine region, (very little of which is exported to the US or Canada).  Santorini has countless wineries and tours and is best known for their white wines. When in Greece, order the house white wine, it’s bound to be delicious and local. Opa!
7. Small town friendliness: On some of the less touristy islands in the Cyclades, you feel like you could rent a room and accidentally stay for a few years. Naxos and Paros are generally skipped by the cruises and party crowd, so there’s a different sense of friendliness from the locals. A local in Santorini asked, “Why are you going to Naxos? It’s very quiet there, nothing to do. At night, not busy, no people out!” Excellent, I like quiet.
8. Athens: Athens often gets a bad rap for being dull in a “if you have 5 hours, that’s enough to see all the sights in Athens” sort of way. It’s a very walkable city though and – when they’re not rioting – a fun place to spend about 2 days.  See the Acropolis and museums and enjoy being immersed in ancient history.
9. Food, food, food: Fact: The Greeks know food – amazing fish, gyros, Greek salad, feta cheese, kalamata olives,  bread, olive oil, meze, sadziki,  saganaki, spanakopita, mousaka, dolmades, souvlaki, free ouzo with dinner, Greek yogurt and honey, gelato, nutella crepes… I ate really well in Greece. I was quite happy being a pescatarian in Greece and not a strict vegetarian.
10. Affordability: Greece is incredibly affordable, especially if you travel in the shoulder seasons (spring or fall).  Greece gets the stereotype of being “European” expensive, but I spent less money per day than I did in Australia, Turkey, or Hawaii. As long as you stay clear of Mykonos, you’ll find budget options all through the Cyclades islands. I paid 20 Euros/night for a single room with a balcony and A/C in Naxos, add in your 3 Euro bike rental, 2 Euro gyro, 2 Euro gelato… and you’re on a budget path to luxury living!

Now you have 10 new reasons to visit Greece.  Dust off that passport and start searching for flights!  I found fares leaving in September for ATH from $571 (from NYC, LAX, CHI, HOU & PDX).

1. Culture contrast: Malaysia is a truly unique country, with a mix of three very different cultures – Malay, Indian and Chinese – along with their respective religions – Muslim, Hindu and Buddhist.  It’s fascinating to see the cultures combined out on the street… an Indian girl in a brightly colored sari, next to a head covered Muslim woman, and then a Chinese girl in stilettos, miniskirt and a Prada bag walks by.
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2. The letter K: As previously mentioned, ‘K’ is probably the most popular letter in Malaysia.  After a few days in Malaysia, the letter ‘C’ seizes to exist in your mind and suddenly you’re emailing and Fakebooking, I mean Facebooking, about taking teksis, buying a tiket, and going to the kafe!
3. Shopping in Kuala Lumpar: While I’m not usually too keen on shopping, I had a great time bargaining at the night market in KL.  After buying 2 sundresses and some gifts, I was waiting for my travel buddy to finish their shopping.  I kept getting the “You buy, you buy, only $1″ lines even though I wasn’t shopping anymore, I teasingly turned their pushy sales tactic back on them for a laugh, but got the biggest laugh when I was leaving the market, he ran out and gave me a coin purse for free.
4. Cameron Highlands: One of my favorite places in Malaysia was the Cameron Highlands.  In contrast with the rest of mainland Malaysia, it’s higher in the mountains with low humidity.  The highlands are an agriculture zone, known for their tea plantations, strawberry fields, veggies, markets, honey bees and butterflies and excellent hiking opportunities.  The perfect place to go when you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of SE Asia.
5. Amazing Indian food for $2: I had read about a restaurant in Meleka that served a $2 10 item vegeterian lunch, so when my tri-shaw peddler recommended a place, I was happily surprised to find out that it was the same place!  After setting you up with your own banana leaf placemat, they spoon dish after dish of curries and rice, filling the leaf (utensils optional). Amazing!
6. Pedaling Tri-shaws in Melaka: While I have no plans to move to Malaysia to be a tri-shaw peddler, I had fun taking turns pedaling with my tri-shaw driver on my tour of the town.  And the bicycle bell was quite useful to ring as I passed other tri-shaws.  I’m not sure who was more surprised, the other drivers or their passengers. ;)
7. Massages: Let’s face it, sometimes the $3 massages in SE Asia aren’t that relaxing! You’re practically on the sidewalk, there’s lots of traffic and then they spend the whole time giggling.  I found that the average massage in Malaysia was a great value, a step up from Thailand, but way cheaper than Singapore.  Most of the workers are Thai anyway, but there seems to be more of a spa atmosphere in Malaysia.
8. Monkeys: They’re everywhere!  Tip: keep shiny objects in your bag. They love cameras and candy wrappers and just about everything else. There are definitely some cheeky monkeys in Malaysia, and they’re so unpredictable!
9. Tea fields in Cameron Highlands: I had no idea how beautiful the tea fields in the Cameron Highlands were going to be. Hill after hill of patterned green. Truly amazing.
10. Malay food: I don’t know if Malaysia invented the sweet and sour approach to food, but they’re rocking it regardless.  I found Malay food to be a really unique mix of flavors, with a lot of coconut, mango, peanut, tamarind and fish sauce.  And I could have eaten for days on all of the treats I bought at the night markets.

See more 10 Things That Make Me Happy lists.