Zurich for a Day

I had an unexpected stop in Zurich due to a delayed flight, so I was excited to explore a new city. I've been to Switzerland twice, but never to Zurich, and I had exactly 24 hours. So I hopped on Google and pinpointed the "downtown" area with lots of things to see in a concentrated place. I got a map from concierge and set out by foot. My hotel was not near the town center, but the trams in Zurich make it super easy to get around, so this city gets tops points for public transportation! Within 15 minutes, I was in the center checking out the rich architecture, gorgeous clock towers and churches, and the serene lake. But honestly, the most fun I had was window shopping! This city boasts the best shopping I've seen in a while. Definitely a destination I'd love to come back to~

Note: Switzerland is not on the Euro, they use Swiss Francs. So you have to do a money exchange when coming from neighboring countries. Lucky for me, this trip was all-expenses paid due to my delayed flight. I really love Swiss Air and I suggest traveling with them whenever possible! They really take care of passengers.

Castellane and Trigalance

When exploring the mountains in the South of France, the little towns and villages are a great way to see a lot in a short amount of time. The towns are usually very small, so you can hit a few of them in one day. This trip included Castellane and Trigalance, two adorable towns very close to each other. As soon as you enter Castellane, you'll spot a church high on a mountain cliff overlooking the village. I immediately blurted out, "Can I go up there?" Of course!

After stopping in a cafe to have an espresso (which I only seem to drink in Europe) I set out on this epic, steep hike. Along the way, there are really cool ruins of where the old village used to live. Ravaged by war, all that remains are a few stone walls, but I can easily imagine myself in the 14th century, running through that old town.The ruins really have a presence to them, I could feel an amazing energy there.

After about 45 minutes of hiking through the ruins, I finally made it to the top where the church sits. The outside of the church was beautiful, but the inside was nothing special. But I don't think seeing the church was the prize for all that hiking; making it to the top just felt great and looking down on the town below, which sits near Le Verdone, was just breathtaking. A must for anyone in this area who is able to keep up with a moderate hiking pace.

After all that, it was time to treat myself. Trigalance is town a few minutes drive away from Castellane, and it's so small, you can drive through it in a few short minutes. While the town wasn't much to look at, at the top there lives an ornate caste. And if you read by blog often, you know I just love castles!

So what else to do but visit the castle for a spectacular 5 course meal? This was honestly the best meal of my life. Each course melted in my mouth. One course alone was a sampling of 15 different cheeses! I really love French cuisine and I've just got to learn how to replicate that experience in the States...

Le Verdone

I can't stay away from France too long and on this trip I was excited to explore the mountains of the Cote d'Azur. About 1.5 hour drive outside of Cannes is a lush mountain full of precious towns, winding roads, cool caves, and the most beautiful river I've ever seen; Le Verdone.

The water is so clear and blue! I loved the changing colors of the leaves too, it was extra great to explore during the crisp autumn season. The hiking in this area is epic! Always on the lookout for adventure, my favorite hiking spot was a series of tunnels that run along the river. Le tunnel de Baou was made in 1905 with the idea of channeling the Verdone between the gorges. The project was abandoned, leaving the coolest, creepiest caves that are fun to explore! Thank god for my iphone flashlight because without it, the tunnel is pitch black for many meters. I didn't come across any bats or serial killers, but I did jump and scream a few times...

After the hiking exploration, I suggest getting in a car and driving the winding roads. There are so many vista points that offer amazing views of the mountains and the river below. It was fun to see hardcore mountain climbers clutching to the side of a rock dangling hundreds of feet above the river! Take the road nice and slow though, there's no guard rail between you and the cliff. That's enough adventure for me for one day...

Milwaukee's Best

I traveled to my hometown of Milwaukee after not being there for 10 months. This last trip was so much fun and proved that this city is so dynamic in the summer time. I was bummed to have missed Summerfest, a huge two-week long music festival on the lake. But I realized that its just one of the many great summer time events in the city. There are so many multicultural events on the lakefront that offer music, drinks, and delicious food (I heard calories don't count on vacations). Click the link below for a list of events Milwaukee has to offer, no matter what summer weekend you plan to visit. From German Fest to Italian Fest to a more direct Beer Fest, there's something for everyone!

http://milwaukee.about.com/od/festivalsevents/a/MilwaukeeFests.htm

Since this is my hometown, it was easier for me to venture into farther lands, such as Port Washington. This  little town is so adorable, it's a perfect slice of Americana and reminds me of a postcard. Their main event is called Fish Day and rivals Milwaukee's larger festivals. People come into town in droves for fresh fish fry, fried cheese (my favorite), music, and beer beer beer! This usually quiet town is transformed with the friendliest drunken crowds I ever encountered. Complete with a U2 cover band, fireworks, and parties til 3am, I had a blast and will definitely come back again next year!

Planning of trip to Milwaukee in the winter? Might want to rethink that unless you love cold, snowy weather!

The Most Expensive Vacations

Now that I'm back to having a full-time job and I can't just go where the wind takes me, I've been day-dreaming a lot about all of the wonderful places I want to go. The best part about day-dreaming is that money is no object. The sky is the limit. Here are my top picks on most expensive vacations I'm dying to take!

Titanic II: Yes, they really are building a replica (with up-to-date safety features) which is set to sail in 2016 from China to England (and eventually to the states). The ridiculously rich tycoon who is building this has an interesting idea on what the best feature is. It's not that you get to say you've sailed on the Titanic, it's that he is sticking to the class structure. First class, second class, and third class will be separate and most certainly not equal. I love the idea of wearing the most delicate gown while playing craps in the First Class casino. Price of tickets yet to be announced...

Vienna: Now this isn't out of reach, but maybe my ideal itinerary might be. This is one of the world's richest cities and they still hold regal balls. How fun would it be to dress up in the finest duds, pour yourself a glass of the best champagne, and eat the finest food (I'll skip the corset) all while chatting up the world's most interesting people, in between dances of course. My date for the ball? Hey it's my dreams, so use your imagination!

Bahamas: I'm talking my own private island. There are rumors that the Fountain of Youth exists here, but maybe it's just because anyone who has their own private island should have NO stress whatsoever. Sign me up, I just bought a new swimming suit.

Trip to Outer Space: Last but not least, this one I dream about often. I totally want to take a trip to outer space! And now you can! In 2015, Boeing will begin shooting people up there, 3 passengers at a time. Docking on a space station, tickets for their excursions cost tens of millions of dollars! Put it on my tab, I'm good for it...

Burning Man & The Meaning of Life

I am so excited to unveil my latest documentary project, Burning Man & The Meaning of Life. I felt so lucky to have been able to speak with so many cool people about such an interesting topic and to become a part of the Burning Man community. I often look within myself to determine what life means to me and what path I should take to navigate my existence and making this documentary allowed me to do that on a bigger scale. During the editing process, I was so touched to be able to watch intimate moments of people doing just that. Looking within to try to understand what this life in this world during this time means. While each person articulated things differently and focused on different aspects of this expansive topic, the overall connectedness of the answers was amazing. Although we each have different experiences from our own unique perspective, the human condition remains the same. What is the meaning of your life? It's fun and rewarding to mediate on the subject...

Screenings of the feature film will be scheduled soon. For more information, visit www.jpifproductions.com

Hollywood Reservoir

When most people come to Hollywood, they check out the saturated tourist attractions, but really there are much better, little-known places. One of my new favorites is the Hollywood Reservoir, right in between the Hollywood Walk of Fame and Universal Studios. It's a beautiful man-made lake nestled in the heart of the Hollywood hills. Built in the 1920s, it supplies much of LA's drinking water. So no, you can't swim in it. But you can soak up the tranquility of this quiet space and can often see deer, coyotes, hummingbirds and turtles. It's a small piece of nature within the hectic streets of the City of Angels.

 It also offers an insiders view into life in this crazy city. If you hike up instead of driving, you can really appreciate all of the beautiful, multilevel homes in the area. Some of them are absolutely stunning and it's fun to imagine what they are like on the inside. The hike around the reservoir offers multiple, cool angels of the Hollywood sign, the iconic reason that brought most of us here in the first place.

Party Hopping LA Style

Spring is in the air and in LA, that means lots of parties! Some Saturdays offer so many things to do that you have to choose and make a game plan that maximizes your precious weekend! Last weekend was no exception and my friends and I were able to narrow the choice down to three parties. Of course, the parties are all over town and offer different landscapes, so there is much to consider when partying hard!

1. Clothes: When you're day goes from pool party to birthday party to evening party, and there's no time to stop home to change, layers is always a good rule of thumb. The weather has been on and off, so I started the day with shorts and a tank top, brought a light cover up for the afternoon and brought a change of jeans and a jacket for the evening. A fun sun hat also helped keep me cool during the day and was easy to ditch later!

2. Driving: When choosing which parties to attend, location becomes a factor. We maximized our day by making a big loop around the city: Hancock Park to Santa Monica to Beverly Hills. The start times worked out perfectly and we didn't lose much time traveling. The big issue is really designated driver! Gotta have one or else you'll be dead before you make it to party #2!

3. Drinking: Even if you're not the designated driver, it's a good idea to pace yourself. If you drink too much too soon, you won't make it to all the events and even if you do, you will be a hot mess! I had three light drinks at the pool party, drank lots of water at the second party and then switched to beer at the final party. This way not only did I have the longevity to have fun all day and all night, but I was also able to make my Sunday productive with hiking and yoga. Although I do not always take my own advice, it seems party hopping makes me remember this precious rule!

4. Have fun! Come on, there can't be too many rules for party hopping! Enjoy each place and don't worry about keeping a tight time table to make it to the next one. If you're not in the moment and you're just chasing the next event, don't even bother! Have fun, stay safe, and party LA style!

Elusive Morrison Caves

Ever heard of the Morrison caves in Malibu? Supposedly, this hard to find, super cool cave is where Jim Morrison used to come for inspiration. I don't know if that's true or not, but what I do know is that it is a rare gem of a place that is hip, hidden, and definitely inspirational. I've been several times and again recently. Every time, it's an adventure just finding the place!

As with most things in life, it's easiest to do for the first time with a guide who has been there before. For the sake of keeping this place hidden and elusive, I'll only give hints on how to find it. Drive up the coast on the PCH, past Santa Monica and deep into the heart of magnificent Malibu. Turn right on a small street, I think it's called Corral Canyon or something like that. There is a gas station on the right side that helps me know where to turn. Follow the winding road through the mountains, until the road ends. From there, set out on foot into the hills of Malibu. There are many caves in this area, so explore, explore, explore! When you find the birthing canal (you'll know it when you see it) you've hit the jackpot. Take the plunge and enter this tight space, trust me it will be worth it. I love coming here to take pictures, here's my favorite shot of the day.

Redwood Forest

The last stop on our Bay area adventure was to the Muir Redwood Forest. It's about an hour away from Napa and San Francisco so it's very convenient if you're in the area. I've always wanted to see these majestically amazing trees and I was really glad I did. It's important to plan a trip before these forests are gone, due to logging and commercial industries we already sadly lost such a large portion. How anyone could even cut through one of these trees is beyond me, they are so huge around and so tall! Some of the largest are over 350 feet tall and 2 feet thick around! Some of the sequoias are known to have lived before Christ and the serenity that can be found here is unparallelled. 

We are so small amongst the redwoods, it really puts everything into perspective. You can walk through some split trees and can choose from a wide variety of hikes. I could have spent days here and surely want to return to explore more. On the way out, I went searching for four leaf clovers. I didn't find one, but still consider myself lucky because I was able to renew my spirit in this magnificent place.

Some important things to note: It's often foggy in this area, so remember to wear layers. Parking is free, but entrance to the park is $7 per person, so bring money! Yes, even nature isn't free anymore. They do accept credit cards which makes it easier. Hopefully the money goes to preserving this remarkable forest.

Things to Do in Napa Valley

California wine country is an amazingly beautiful place that everyone should experience. I recently went and although my trip was brief, I had an amazing time. We stayed in a quaint hotel in downtown Napa and our first stop was a cute wine tasting place called Uncorked. The owner of Uncorked really knew his stuff and the tasting was free and delicious!

The next morning we drove through the valley to visit the wineries. Our first stop was V. Sattui Winery. This place is awesome! They have lots of meats, cheeses, snacks, and wine to choose from and a wonderful outdoor area perfect for a picnic. I wanted to buy everything in the store, a great place to buy adorable European-inspired kitchen accessories.

Our next and most anticipated stop was Castello di Amorosa, a gorgeous castle that instantly transported me back to the France/Switzerland/Italy region. As we drove up to the castle, we passed rows of grape vines and were greeted by sheep! We entered the ornate castle and went into the cave to taste the most delicious wines and chocolates California has to offer. Our hotel gave us a buy-one-get-one-free coupon, so for two people to taste over 20 wines only cost $30. You can't beat that price and this awesome location.

There are many ways to see all that Napa has to offer, including a train, limo, and party bus that takes you around to all of the different wineries. Since we weren't traveling in a group, we decided to drive around because the price of these transportation types are pricey and better utilized with more people sharing the costs. But the shops inside the wineries offer a good way to sober up before you drive to the next location, which is right down the road. Just make sure you have someone responsible!

We could have stayed in Napa forever, but we wanted to make the trip complete by stopping at the Redwood Forest. There is so much to do in this lush area and if you plan ahead, your trip can be amazing and affordable!

San Francisco Adventure!

The last two months back in LA has consisted of work, work, and more work. So when an opportunity to go on a mini-adventure presented itself, I jumped at the chance! San Francisco or bust! We rented a car and six hours later were in the bay area! The day was foggy as we drove over the Golden Gate Bridge. I've been to the city before, but there are so many things to do that each trip can consist of different ventures.

One thing I've always wanted to do is Alcatraz! I really wanted to do a night tour, but those get booked weeks in advance, so plan ahead! All of the tours sell out pretty fast, and we were lucky to get tickets to the early morning ferry. An audio tour is included in admission and my imagination went crazy as I learned about all of the high-profile criminals and their escape attempts. Two inmates actually were successful in working their way out of the infamous prison walls. They were never found, and while many people think they drown on the swim to shore, I like to think they made it to Mexico. Hey, if you can escape from Alcatraz, you deserve it!

Don't drop the soap!

Al Capone

I can only imagine spending time in such a small cell. The idea of incarceration made me a sad panda! So we put on our criminal minds and staged our own escape! We escaped from Alcatraz and spent the rest of the beautiful day in the Fisherman's Wharf. There, we ate amazing California cuisine and walked along the pier of shops. They have everything from clothes to gadgets to gourmet chocolates! There's also an area where seals go to play and relax. It was very fun to stop and watch their antics for a while. Ah, freedom is priceless!

We also explored some of the ethnic areas. We went shopping in China Town and picked up cool stuff like Buddha statues, pretty chop sticks, and saki glasses. We walked through Little Italy and had dinner in the French district. There is so much to discover in San Fran, but unfortunately we had to keep moving. Because there is so much to discover in Northern California! Next stop, Napa...

I Heart LA

Settling back into the LA lifestyle has been interesting after traveling for 8 months. But if I'm going to be in the States, there's no better place than Hollywood! Despite trying to "lay low" in January, I've already been to some cool events, like First Fridays in Venice Beach where all the food trucks gather near Abbott-Kinney. I've seen rising local bands play like my new favorite Caught a Ghost. I went to Anaheim to see some of the coolest craft exhibits I've ever seen, like a massive tree made out of paper.

I've hiked to the Hollywood Reservoir and seen some great Americana art at LACMA. But more than the cool events, what I love about LA is the non-stop daily activities that we all take for granted. For instance, I love just going to Starbucks for the day's celebrity siting while plugging in my laptop for a long, caffeinated work session. In France, they aren't hip to the computer culture so there are never any outlets for your laptop. No celebrities either...

Now that I am officially settled, stay tuned for more blogs on all the fun kitsch things that LA is sure to offer in the coming months~

No Fly List

We've all had bad experiences on flights and the more you travel the more complaints you may have. I've got a whole list of companies I refuse to fly with again. Their flights may be a little cheaper, but at what cost? Here's my No Fly List:

American Airlines: I had a near-death experience with this airline! One of the engines blew and the cabin filled with smoke. The breathing masks fell from the roof as the plane fell hundreds of feet. We emergency landed and had to jump off the wing of the plane. As we waited for hours to be taken to the nearest aiprort to wait for a new plane, they treated us like cattle. All of our belongings stayed on the plane, leaving me with no money. They refused to feed us and didn't compensate us for our trauma or time. They also happen to have the smallest, most cramped cabins in the industry.

Iberia: This Spanish airline is so outdated. Their website doesn't work properly, they overcharge for excess baggage, and they have the worst in-flight entertainment! I was stuck on an international flight for 12 hours with 1 TV for the whole cabin, which played tv shows and movies from the 80s that I never even heard of. Can you say bootleg?

Easy Jet: They're baggage policies are just plain ridiculous. A hand purse is considered a carry-on so if you want to take another bag on you better stuff your purse inside. The staff have the worst attitudes.

United: I swear the seats on these flights are so tightly crammed in, the leg room is non-existent. Torture for an international flight. Some of the planes have the shared TVs, some have individual, but it's always a risk.

Enough complaining. Here are some of my favorite airlines that I strongly recommend:

Lufthansa: They give free beer out like it's water!

Delta/Air France: Great in-flight entertainment, leather seats

British Airways: Great in-flight entertainment, chipper flight attendants

Book wisely, make your next flight a little more comfortable~

Lost and Found

As my traveling comes to an end and I head back to LA to start my life anew, I feel such mixed emotions. I feel a bit lost as I face the inevitable struggles of piecing a stable life back together. I feel the loss of many things I once had but now do not.

I lost a secure job and therefore lost a lot of money when I decided to go chasing my dreams across the Atlantic. I lost my wonderful Hollywood apartment and I gave away everything inside except my clothes. I sold my car. I lost my iphone in the streets of Paris. I randomly lost a swimsuit top. I lost my sense of home.

But I found a lot of things too. I found new friends in new places. I found a million new experiences. I found new knowledge of the world. I found out a lot about myself that I didn't know before.

Sooner than later, I'll find a job, apartment, car and all the things that make a home. But this time it will be better than the last because of who I have become by rummaging through the lost and found.