My Impression of Istanbul, Turkey

It has a been a dream of mine to visit the great Byzantine capital of Constantinople, because of my passion for Byzantine mosaics. I just finished a trip to Istanbul, and here are some of my impressions of where the East meets the West. 

Hagia Sophia is one the historical art sights which I've been dying to see. Unfortunately, of all the historical art sights which I've wanted to see and had visited, Hagia Sophia was probably the biggest letdown.  Due to numerous sackings, poor restoration, and lack of maintenance, the interior looked nothing like what I had expected or saw in photos and books. I was expecting to be overwhelmed by the grandeur of the opened interior space and to be in awe of the grand dome, which I was lead to believe resembles a glorious floating crown as light shines through its windows. But all I got was "What a shame...(it's not better taken care of)..."

Food in Turkey is quite delicious. There are tapas like dishes called meze, room temperature appetizers that are usually already prepared.  There are a lot of stuffed vegetables. And eggplant is referred to as aubergine.

 Shawarmas, stacked chicken or beef, are freshly prepared and grilled each morning!

People LOVE their tea. Instead of you buying them to go, the tea and pastry vendors come to you!

Turkish people are so warm, welcoming, and friendly, even the people who are trying to sell you stuff. They are always ready to social, chat, and offer you tea (for free!). They have a great attitude, EVEN IF YOU DON'T BUY ANYTHING!

That being said, that impression does't apply to the taxi drivers. First of all, traffic in Istanbul is really congested. I had met some honest and genuine taxi drivers. However, most taxi drivers are slick cheaters, even the locals don't like them. So, if you don't mind walking AND INTENSE BODY ODER, take the metro (which is pretty easy to navigate) to save your wallet.

Best Camera And Tripod For Traveling (And For Taking Selfie!)

I am not a avid photographer. I don't take photos of trees or random children playing. And I certainly don't carry a five pounds camera when I travel.

I do, however, take photos to document my travels and I love to share those photos with friends and family. What I look for in a good camera are:

1) Easy to use, because I am not the most tech savvy person

2) Quick on, off, and shutter speed. So I can take photos quickly before the moment passes.

3) Compact and light weight. When I travel, I am already carrying so much stuff in my purse, the last thing I need is camera that weighs like a rock. 

4) Easy to take selfie. I am not obsessed with taking selfies. But a lot of times I don't feel comfortable asking people to help me take a photo. So if I could see the screen when I am taking a photo of myself, I don't have to guess and take multiple pictures to get it right. 

I have two trusted gadgets that I've nailed down, which I take with me to wherever I go. It's a Samsung MV900V digital camera and a flexible mini tripod. 

The camera's screen could flip around, so I could see myself on the screen. To take a photo, I could either tap the screen, use a timer, or even just wave my hand! This is helpful not only for taking selfie, but taking group pictures as well. This way I could see if everyone is fit inside the screen!

The tripod could virtually grab onto any surface. It could grab onto a glass, which I did a lot at dinner tables in restaurants. A higher and further perspective allows me to include more background. 

It can grab onto a trash can.

Or the back of a chair or any railing. 

The official name of the tripod is Gorillapod. 

Here is a more in-depth review of the camera. I would say, to this day, it's one of the best digital investments I've ever made.

Best Travel Purses!

I refuse to use a real "travel purse". You know, the ones that claim to be anti-theft, with multiple pockets and secret compartments. They are so ugly and unfashionable, wearing one seems to scream "I am a tourist!"

Instead, I look for regular purses that are 1) lightweight 2) spacious 3) versatile to bring along for traveling.

Here are my favorite travel purses:

This bag is from GAP. I love that the material and color is neutral. I can wear it with any outfit. The gold hardwares add a little dressy element. I can wear the bag long. 

The strap is detachable. I can loop it around twice, and wear the bag short. 

 Or detach the strap all together, and use the bag as a clutch. 

 This bag is from an unknown source. It's a faux leather backpack. 

 With detachable straps, I can convert it into a shoulder bag.

 This bag is from GAP as well. I love bags of nylon material because it's lightweight and durable! It has a wide comfortable strap and numerous compartments. It's very spacious, so it can double as a carry-on bag or a day-trip tote. I can wear it as a shoulder bag. 

 Or hold it on my arm as a tote.

 I received this bag a as a gift; it's from Baggallini. It's my favorite carry-on bag. It has the capacity of a carry-on luggage. Because it can expands three inches taller, it can even fit a standard size pillow! But it's super lightweight! 

 When traveling, I avoid bringing bags like this: statement color that doesn't go with many outfits, uncomfortable straps, small capacity, boxy structure that takes up a lot of space in the luggage. 

In regards to "anti-theft purses" or how to protect your belonging while traveling, my advice is just use your common sense and be aware of your belongings and surrounding. I have traveled to many places, even witness theft in action. Fortunately, I've never experienced theft personally. I am sure I look and act like a tourist. But I don't wear flashing things or put myself in dubious environment. So, be cautious and alert is more important than how "anti-theft" your gears are. 

How To Store Large Pieces Of Jewelry

Every now and then I re-organize my jewelry. I like to keep a rotation of jewelry that are easily accessible. Because if they are stored away and I don't see them, most likely I will forget about them and not wear them. 

This happens a lot especially with my larger pieces of jewelry that are stowed away. So I figure out a new way to store them.

Since I moved all of my makeup to my DIY vanity table, I deiced to utilize the empty makeup case to store some of my larger pieces of jewelry. 

This is how I clean the inside of the makeup case. Take a piece of tape, press it down to the surface, then pull it off. 

The spaciousness of the makeup case is suitable for storing large jewelry such as statement necklaces and bangles. 

The fact that the makeup case opens up to different tiers makes it really easy to see all the jewelry at once. Nothing is hidden from view, makes it easy to consider what to wear. 

This is what I use to clean my jewelry. I bought them at Target. 

How To Plan A Trip: How To Plan An Itinerary?

Sometimes, it may seems like a daunting task to figure out an itinerary. What do I want to see? How much time do I need? In other words, how do I plan an efficient trip so I would be able to see everything I want to see given the time frame I will have?

I usually figure out my tentative itinerary BEFORE I book my flight and hotel. This way, I know how many days I will need on the ground to visit the things I want to visit. THEN, I book my flight and hotel according to that duration.

Here is how I figure out my tentative itinerary:

1) Sometimes I Google the destination and look through the images, to visually familiarize myself with what the destination looks like and it's iconic images.

2) Go to Tripadvisor, research what there is to do at the destination and what interests me.

3) Type in the destination, and go to "Travel Guide" section. Here, I get a big picture of the destination. Under "Trip Ideas", there's a recommended 3-days itinerary, which sums up all the major not-to-miss sights/attractions at the destination. Also, under "Before You Go", I can learn everything I need to know about the place, such as history, culture, neighborhood, currency, transportation, etiquette, and more.

4) Under "Things To Do", I read about everything there is to do at the destination. From museums, shopping, daily tours, to cooking classes. After reading travelers' reviews and seeing their photos, I decided which ones I am interested in.

5) I Goggle the locations of the activities I am interested in. It's helpful to have a physical map. So I could just mark everything on the map.

6) After everything is located on the map, I group them by areas. For example, the city-center area where I want to visit a museum and a gallery, or the river-front area where I want to check out the scenery and a restaurant.

7) Depending on how time consuming each activity is, I determine approximately how many day(s) I will spend at each area.

8) I will also taken into account some time or some day when I just want to relax, recover, or simply get lost in the neighborhood.

9) Once everything is taken into consideration, as well as major holidays and business hours, I know how many days I will need at the destination to fully experience it the way I want to.

How much time I CAN have, well, that's another story... :)

How To Plan A Trip: Which Search Engines To Use?

By now I've done so much traveling, I've got my planning habits down to a T. Once I have the destination in mind, the first phase is the "research phase".

My go-to travel search engines are Tripadvisor and Kayak. I rely on the reviews on Tripadvisor, and I compare prices on Kayak.

I especially depend on Tripadvisor when discovering things to do and when choosing a hotel. I love that the site is supported by real travelers' experiences, reviews, and photos. Because professional photos on a hotel's website could be very deceiving. If a room looks good in an amateur tourist's photo, chances are it will probably look good in person too.

The ranking system makes it easy to navigate as well. Furthermore, I really appreciate the help in the "Travel Forum". If I can't find what I need or if I have a question, I just start a topic, and people from all over the world can chip in!

I go to Kayak when I am ready to look into flights and hotel. It compares fares from different airlines and rates from hotel sights such as Travelocity, Expedia, and Priceline.

There are obviously tons of other travel search engines out there. But when planning a trip, there is so much to check out and deiced, the planning process is lot easier when I know I can count on these two tried-and-true sites.

Adapter, Converter, Transformer: What Is The Difference And What Do I Need?

The topic about adapter, converter, and transformer is a confusing one. And it took me quite some time to figure it out. How do you know what you will need on your travel? Here is the lowdown.

WHAT IS THE VOLTAGE AT THE DESTINATION AND OF THE DEVICES I WILL USE?

Most parts of North America and Asia use 110 Volt/ 60 Hz.  The rest of the world, especially Europe, use 220 Volt/ 50 Hz.

Voltage converter and voltage transformer serve the same purpose, they change the voltage of the electrical power source. In countries with 220V, it reduces the power supply, so 110V devices could be used. In countries with 110V, it increases the power supply, so 220V devices become compatible. 

Voltage converter is smaller in size. It's for 2-pin devices such as charger, hair dryer, curling iron, steamer, and coffer maker. It's not designed for continuous use. Use it for short period of time only, 45-60 min.

This is a converter.

Voltage transformer, on the other hand, is bigger and heavier in size. It's for 3-pin devices, thus it's more heavy duty. It's designed to be use for longer period of time. However, transformer is not recommended for heating devices. 

For travel purposes, usually a voltage converter should suffice. Better yet, nowadays many converters on the market function both as a converter and a transformer!

If the device is single voltage, INPUT AC120Vac 60Hz 200W, it will require a voltage converter or transformer if you are traveling to a 220V country. Devices with small voltage range 100-120V is considered single voltage. There is no considerable different between 100V and 120V, or 220V and 240V.

If the device is dual voltage, INPUT AC120/240Vac 50-60Hz 1300W, it could be used in places of 110V and 220V. Therefore, it doesn't need a converter or transformer. It might only need an adapter, so its plug will fit into the power socket. This is why I like to buy my travel size devices in dual voltage. So I don't need to worry about voltage compatibility. Most laptops and chargers are dual voltage. 

This is a dual voltage water kettle. I can switch the voltage between 100V and 220V, depending on the voltage of the power source.

WHAT IS THE PLUG SHAPE AT THE DESTINATION?

An adaptor is a connector that changes the shape of plug, so it can fit into electrical sockets/outlets of different shapes. It does not change the voltage of the electrical power source. 

These are all adapters. The left is a "multi adapters into one". The right are individual adapters.

Here is a link that has a table of countries and their voltage and plug shape. It's super helpful because it has pictures!

After I have the voltage and plug figure out, sometimes I will need:

Single voltage device + adapter 

Dual voltage device + adapter

Single voltage device (110V hair dryer) + converter (to use it in 220V country) + adapter (so the plug will fit into the socket)

Best Movie Theater Snacks!

As much as I feel like I am being robbed when buying food at the theater, a movie-going experience just feels incomplete without some snacks.

I am sure everyone has a favorite movie snack, some are sweet, some are (super)unhealthy, and some are just plain sentimental.

There isn't much I can brag about Chino. Where I live, there's a lot of cows and 3 prisons. But it's also where I can always count on to get great movie snacks at the nearby Harkins Theatres.

My favorite movie snacks:

"Popcorn + seasoning powders"
I get my popcorn, skip the butter, and head straight for the seasoning stand. It has flavored seasonings such as kettle corn, caramel, ranch, white cheddar, and nacho cheddar. My favorite combination is a sweet and savory mix of kettle corn, caramel, and nacho cheddar. It's so addicting!

Another favorite of mine is the churros. Theses are my favorite churros, the best I've ever had. I know that's a big statement. But what makes them so good is, THEY ARE FRESHLY FRIED RIGHT AFTER I ORDER THEM! Nothing beats fresh hot churros!

What are some local specialty theater snacks in your neighborhood? In Taiwan, it used to be the norm for people to bring outside food such as fruits and marinated BBQ meats and vegetables and eat them inside the theater. Few years ago, this tradition was banned because frankly, the smell was too distractive and offensive to the entire audience!

How To Pick The Best Peaches At The Market?

Peach season is upon us, which means summer is just around the corner. Ever wonder how to pick the best peaches at the market?

Last time I was a the supermarket, I saw a lot of peaches. It reminded me of a book I bought which explains how to select, store, and utilize produce and meats. The book is in Chinese. 

Of all the tips and pointers, the one I remember the most is how to pick peaches. Because I gave it a nickname. When buying peaches, the key is to look for a "conservative peach". What that means is, a peach which the "butt crack" is not obvious, and the "nipple" is not pointy. A more round and full shaped peach means the flesh has had enough time to grow, expand, and ripen.

Also

1) Look for a golden creamy yellow undertone. 

Especially examine the area near the stem. Peaches with greenish undertone were picked too early and won't ripen properly. The blush or redness is not an indicator of ripeness, sweetness, or juiciness! The lightness/darkness of the blush is just a characteristic as the result of sunshine. 

2) Peaches should smell "peachy", fragrant, sweet, and floral.

3) A heavier peach should have more juice content, when it is compared to other similar size peaches.  

4) Ripe peaches should give a little when gently pressed.

5) Avoid peaches with bruises, scratches, brown spots, indentations, or wrinkly skin. 

Store peaches in room temperature. Once they have ripened, store them in the reiterator. 

How To Choose The Right Toiletry Bag?

There are so many kinds of toiletry bags out there. How do you choose one that is truly useful and versitile?

Frankly, I bring A LOT of toiletries when I travel. If I am going on short trip, where I am only bringing a carry-on bag, I prefer to use a simple zipper toiletry/cosmetic bag that has only one compartment (like the ones on the right side of the above photo). Because this kind of toiletry bag takes up less space.

When choosing a zipper toiletry bag, it's best to look for one that has a spacious interior. So it's useful to store all kinds of stuff in it. Most importantly, its material should be waterproof, both inside and outside! This way, the interior is easy to clean up and the exterior won't get wet in the bathroom!

The exterior of the left striped-toiletry bag is satin, it stains easily and soaks up water. The right black-toilety bag is plastic, so it's waterproof!

If I am going on a trip that lasts for more than 5 days, my all time favorite toiletry bag is the hanging toiletry bag.

It can hold an amazing amount of stuff! Everything is organized in its own compartment.

The same amount of stuff fits into two zipper toiletry bags. But the curling iron and the hairdryer won't fit. 

 But the inside is disorganized. It's difficult to shuffle through and look for what I need. 

Hanging toiletry bag is great because:

1) It can store large amount of stuff.

2) I can group and store my toiletries in different compartments. Therefore, everything is easily located and reachable. 

3) Packing and unpacking is easy! Just take the whole thing in or out of the luggage, then hang it somewhere. 

4) Instant shelving! Often there is not enough space anywhere in the room to put out the toiletries. How often has it happen to you that you resort to put something above the toilet, and it falls into the toilet bowl? Hanging toiletry bag is an instant shelving system! You can hang it almost anywhere. 

5) Hang it anywhere! 

 On door/cabinet/drawer knob 

On top of the door

 On towel rack

In the closet

When choosing a hanging toiletry bag, look for one with large and sturdy hook. Larger hook is easier to hang. Strong hook is very important because it needs to be able to support the weight of the entire content. 

Choose a durable material. Material such as plastic that is waterproof is ideal. The inside of my hanging toiletry bag is fabric, so the edge of the hanging bar is tearing out of the bag. 

Large hanging toiletry bag takes up a lot of space in the luggage. So I usually fold it in half, and place it flat in the luggage.

How To Choose The Right Luggage To Check-In?

There are many luggages out there. When buying a luggage, it's easy to be drawn towards the ones that look really pretty or really cool. But don't forget, the main purpose of a luggage is to transfer your belonging from point A to point B, conveniently and safely, without costing you an arm or a leg. So let's get down to it. Let me show you my guidelines to choose the right checked-in luggage!

1) When choosing a luggage, it's all about the size and the weight. 
Domestic and international airlines have strict regulations, and high fees, when it comes to checked-in baggage. In general, the common allowance for a checked baggage is 50 lb/23 kg, with the total width + length + height dimensions of 62 in/158 cm. The common size bag is 27 x 21 x 14 in. Overweight and/or oversize baggage could be charged with additional fees $50-$200 PER PIECE! This Worldwide Baggage Fee Chart shows both domestic and international airlines' baggage rules and fees.

One might think, "The bigger the luggage, the more stuff I could be pack in there." However, bigger is not always better. Many luggages, even the small and medium size ones, are heavy even when it's empty! Once they are fully packed, luggages like that can easily be overweight. That's why, I prefer to choose the lightest possible luggage, in a reasonable medium size .

This Victorinox Swiss Army bag is my tried-and-true luggage. I also purchased a similar luggage from Travelpro that was just as light. However, after using both of them on actual trips, I realized the Victorinox one is so much better in quality and design, especially the smooth wheels and the durable side handles 

 It weighs 7 lb when its empty. 

2) Always choose four-wheels over two-wheels!

Four-wheels luggage are extremely convenient and easy to maneuver. It can be rolled frontal or sideway, upright or titled. When the luggage is heavy or when my hands are full with other smaller bags, I like to sit my smaller bags on top of the luggage, and push everything together in an upright position. You can't do that with a two-wheels!

3) Multiple handles

A lot of times, I need to snatch or dig for my luggage, especially when I am reaching for it on the baggage carousel. Having multiple handles make the luggage easy to grab onto. Durability of these handles are important, as the airpot baggage handlers tend to throw baggage rather than handle with care. 

4) Sturdy extendable handles

It's important to test that the handle is easily adjustable to a comfortable height, in relations to its size and your height and arm length. 

4) Extendable zippers

Extendable zippers are useful when I want to increase the volume of my luggage. However, this won't be very helpful if the luggage is already heavy, thus could become over the weight limit. 

5) Spacious interior

I like a luggage with simple and spacious interior, with only 1 or 2 pockets. This way, I can pack the content whichever way I want. 

Do you have a favorite luggage? I would love to see a photo of it!