Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Smell Good, Look Great & Travel Light: a miracle product that makes every traveller sexy and savvy

Listen up all you Frequent Flier Fashionistas, you Jet-Setting Style-hounds and Budget-minded Babes. This product to your left is going to change the way you travel forever.

I don't know about you, but the number one complaint I have while travelling is either that my bag is too heavy or that I look and feel like crap. Which doesn't really make much sense since the reason my bag is heavy is because it is full of crap that I use in order to look and feel better.

But I digress...

Behold Philosophy's 3-in-1 collection. This economy-sized tub is shaving cream, bubble bath, shower gel, shampoo AND conditioner all in one. It comes in tons of different flavours (well, scents...don't eat it) such as Lavender Pound Cake, Pumpkin Pie and Sweet Coconut Milk and comes in cute little themed sets as well.

Why do I stand behind this product? Well, the last time I went abroad for a long time, I was in Europe for 3 months on a single backpack. I took this product, emptied about a quarter of it into smaller pump container and voila. There was no need to carry around a zillion different bottles and I was able to streamline my shower time.

Best part of all, I didn't use the scent (Lavender Pound Cake) until I set foot on the continent. Now everytime I take a whiff of it, I am instantly transported back to my Aunt's sauna shower in Helsinki, Finland.

Call it an instant vacation and a great indulgence when I occasionally suds up with it again.

Philosophy products are available at Sephora, Drugstore and BeautyMark as well as in various Department stores all over North America.

Monday, October 30, 2006

Sightseeing: The Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna, Austria

Have only a day in Vienna? Didn't make it to Versailles in France?
The Schonbrunn Palace makes a worthy stop and a wonderful substitute. Schonbrunn (which means "beautiful well") was occupied by Austria's Royal Family until it's downfall in 1918. Since then it has been well preserved, and is open daily to visitors. It's known for it's beautiful gardens, rich heritage and gilded staterooms and makes a quick and easy day trip while in glorious Vienna.


Monday, October 09, 2006

London, England























Much ado has been made about London. Its history, its infamy, its royalty, its notoriety, its culture, its growth, and most recently, its expense. But don't let the headstrong British pound turn you away from visiting this cosmotpolitan wonder. Even though it is going to be more expensive than touring the US, or even Europe, you can still enjoy London without taking a major chunk out of your budget.
Accommodations are going to be the most expensive part of your trip, but there are cheap and cheerful places to be found. If you don't wish to stay in a backpackers, check out these two options: The Regent Palace hotel (excellent location, small, clean rooms, shared bath) and the no-frills and cheap but tiny as hell hotel EasyHotel, from the inexpensive EasyJet company. Following this trend of capsule-style accommodation, but with the addition of normal hotel luxuries, Japanese hotel chain Yotel will introduce its hotels to London in 2007.
If you are more up for the party scene, there are several inexpensive backpackers to be found in London. The similarly named hostelz.com and hostels.com offer a convenient way to find and book your hostel, and as both sites have a rating system, its easy to find a place thats just right for you.
Once you've found a place to rest your head and bags, experiencing London shouldn't add too much more to your money woes. Most of the museums and galleries in London are free, such as The British Museum, The National History and Science Museum, The National Maritime Museum and The Victoria and Albert Museum.
Taking a double decker bus tour around the city is an educational and inexpensive way to learn a little and to get your bearings, but buying an all-day tube pass and a free tourist guide is just as good (and cheaper to boot).
As for seeing any attractions, nightlife and theatre performances, check in with your hotel concierge. They can often tell you the cheapest places to go, give you coupons if you ask nicely, and cheap theatre seats (if you ask really, really nicely and give them a generous tip).