Ava Pierce: The Blog - Lounge. Rant. Find your inner bitch.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

The ins and outs of oenology

Today's Annoyance: Drunken stupors
Mantra of the Day: What is the definition of a good wine? It should start and end with a smile. - William Sokolin

WTF? Yeah, I had no idea what "oenology' meant either. It refers to "the study of wine and wine-making". I learned that in my search for an international protocol school.

Anyhoo, if you love wine or if you kinda like it but want to learn more, check out Snooth.com. They have an amazing wine database and lots of forums where you can pose wine-related questions to other people, from beginners to experts.

[IMAGE: Courtesy of Snooth]

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

JSTD: Where art thou, o wireless?

Serious jet-setters are connected to the right people and the right technology. For the technology connection, we require constant wireless access. And to find that access anywhere on the globe, we have great tools like WiFinder and WifiFreespot. iPhone users can download Jiwire's cool app.

Jet Set Tip of the Day sponsored by:

Ava's Faves: Trina Turk

Today's Annoyance: Mediocrity
Mantra of the Day: Don't just look for rainbows. Be the rainbow!

It can never be said that designer Trina Turk shies away from color. Every one of her collections bursts with beautiful hues and classic style. Long live Trina Turk!

[IMAGES: Courtesy of Trina Turk]

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

JSTD: Waist monitor

African waist beads are a great way to monitor your weight while traveling and when you don't have access to a scale.

Jet Set Tip of the Day sponsored by:

Beads saved my waistline

Today's Annoyance: That tasty restaurant food can make you fat.
Mantra of the Day: I will not be a statistic quoted at fat camp.

We all know how hard it is to save your waistline from complete ruin when you're perpetually on the road. I've made a little discovery that may help us. Technically speaking, it is not my discovery, any more than Christopher Columbus "discovered" America when there were already people happily living there for hundreds of years before he arrived.

A few years ago, a friend of mine who was traveling through different parts of Africa brought back a simple souvenir that she passed out to all of her friends. They were a single strand of beads, each a different color and the strands were varying lengths. The idea behind it was that you take the strand of beads and put it around your waist, underneath your clothes. Even though they are cute and stylish, they are meant to be kept in the unmentionable category of your wardrobe. Wearing these beads day in and day out provides a great barometer for how your weight may or may not be fluctuating. If the beads start to get a little tight, you might want to skip dessert.

For me, it has been great since I am almost always traveling and do not always have access to a scale (especially one that gives my weight in pounds). Also, I'd rather not obsess over the numbers. (OMG, I can't believe that I'm 124 pounds today when I was only 121 yesterday!! Whatever.) Plus, if you've been working out, it is a good way to tell if you are losing inches and not necessarily pounds.

Last but not least, they're really ultra sexy!

Monday, August 17, 2009

JSTD: Operator, please!

It's tough enough remembering the ever-changing area codes across the U.S. International calls are even more complicated, thanks to all of the extra numbers that you have to dial. This is simplified by Country Calling Codes. If you have the local number, choose the countries that you're calling to and from, and the site gives you the international direct dialing number and country code. Happy dialing!

Jet Set Tip of the Day sponsored by:

Giveaway winner for Mango Tango's Black Brocade Camera Bag

Allegro966, you're the winner of Mango Tango's awesome camera bag! Random.org selected #8 of 53 blog and Twitter entries.

You have until Wednesday, August 19 (11:59 p.m. ET) to send your contact info to me via e-mail: ava at avapierce dot com. Your contact info will not be sold or used for any other purposes.

Big thanks to Mango Tango for sponsoring this amazing giveaway!

A special welcome to all of my new readers and thanks to everyone who entered the giveaway. For more of my travel adventures, rants and great giveaways, be sure to subscribe by e-mail or RSS feed.

The posh-est classifieds ever

Today's Annoyance: Impatience
Mantra of the Day: Every luxury must be paid for, and everything is a luxury, starting with being in this world. - Cesare Pavese

A true jet-setter wouldn't be caught dead on CraigsList, right? To soothe the souls of the luxe-obsessed road warriors, there is...drum roll, please...JamesList. What is JamesList

, you ask? Well, let's say that you're in the market for a mega-yacht or, you just happen to have a spare Rolls Royce Phantom that you want to off-load. Then, JamesList is the place for you.

Launched earlier this year, the Swedish company is marketed as an elite online marketplace. JamesList already features more than 20,000 listings.

I wonder if there are more people selling than buying.

[IMAGE: Courtesy of JamesList]

Friday, August 14, 2009

JSTD: Hooray for e-books!

E-book readers are all the rage nowadays, as Amazon and Sony fight it out for dominance. Whichever one you choose, it'll lighten your load because you'll be able to quickly and easily download e-books as well as digital versions of newspapers and magazines. Now, we jet-setters will never run out of reading material and it won't weigh us down.

Jet Set Tip of the Day sponsored by:

Greetings galore

Today's Annoyance: Inappropriate gestures
Mantra of the Day: Smiles are the best greetings of all.

Handshakes, hugs, fist bumps, the infamous Japanese bow, and France's le bisou (an air kiss on each cheek). There are so many ways for us to greet each other. So that I'm not disrespectful to other cultures, I always check a few protocol sources before arriving in a new country. It doesn't help to make a bad first impression by waving frantically when I should bow, or trying to fist bump somebody when touching may be deemed inappropriate.

To date, my biggest faux pas has been leaning in the wrong direction to start le bisou. In some parts of France, you start on the right while in others, you start on the left. On one occasion, I nearly kissed someone on the lips; needless to say, I've learned not to be presumptuous and now I just follow the other person's lead.

I also ask friends and I check the book Kiss, Bow or Shake Hands before I travel to a new place. So far, smiles and le bisou are my fave greetings, especially when I meet a hot guy. (wink, wink) On the other hand, it kinda sucks when the guy is not so hot but, what's a girl to do.

What's your fave cultural greetings?

[IMAGE: Courtesy of trendliest]

Thursday, August 13, 2009

JSTD: Flower power

Venture into the local market of your destination city and buy some fresh flowers to brighten up your hotel room.

Jet Set Tip of the Day sponsored by:

Italian romance

Today's Annoyance: Why can't the rest of the world be like Italy?
Mantra of the Day: I am going to enjoy this last sip of wine.

This is my latest discovery that is totally off the beaten path in Italy but so worth it. Verduno is a small Italian village nestled in the hills of the Piedmont region in the north of the country, which is famous for producing wine. It's a medieval city that time seems to have forgotten. The town's center piece is Castello di Verduno.

This little gem is perched high atop the rolling hills and overlooking the picturesque countryside of the vineyards down below. Visitors can stay for a very reasonable price. The one downside to staying in a castle is that...well...it's a castle. The rooms with the best views are not equipped with their own modern bathrooms so you have a private facility to use which is down the hall. (Guests must use a key for the restrooms, which keeps them safe from unwanted guests stumbling in.)

Another upside to the place is that it has a fabulous garden for lazing the days away and a fabulous in-house restaurant. If you feel like leaving the grounds for a bit to wander around town, you can also go to another restaurant that is owned by the Castello called Ca' del Re ("King's House"). It has outdoor seating and live music most nights. It is great for having an authentic Italian experience while sample some of the local wines and the best Italian cooking.

[IMAGE: Courtesy of Castello di Verduno]

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

JSTD: Daily stroll

Fight the desire to be motionless when you're traveling. Go for a walk each day; you'll be amazed at how much more you feel connected to a place when you leave. Plus, it'll help to fight off those meal indulgences.

Jet Set Tip of the Day sponsored by:

Hotel Miralago in Lake Como

Today's Annoyance: Tourists in Bermuda shorts, sandals and socks
Mantra of the Day: The confines of my budget will not slow me down.

I am staying at Hotel Miralago in Lake Como, which is located directly on the Lake with spectacular views. Naturally, boats are the most efficient way to see the various cute towns in the area surrounding the lake (and getting to see George Clooney's house, but that is another topic). Since the hotel is just steps away from the pier where water taxis and various boats dock and depart, it is the equivalent to having a subway stop outside of your door.

Be aware that this is a three-star hotel so, if you're planning to live it up like Paris Hilton, this might not be your style. If your usual choice is Villa d'Este but you've been hit by the credit crunch, Hotel Miralago just might work for you. Parking and a simple, yet killer breakfast is included in the room rate.

Ciao, bellas!

[IMAGE: Courtesy of Hotel Miralago]

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

JSTD: Chill in Lake Como

When visiting Lake Como, keep in mind that towns around the lake have varying temperatures so, bring a silk scarf with you that can double as a shawl.

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