World Tour: Happy Fourth of July!!

This is probably the one weekend where it is less than desirable for me, as American citizen, to leave the U.S. Leaving just seems like a crime or a lack of taste for good American food. The Fourth of July is the one weekend in America where it seems like everyone has a plan. If you do not have one, you almost feel like you failed for the holiday weekend. Last year, we almost failed, this year we did the right thing. Planned ahead and now we can enjoy a good firework or two alongside a foot-long, grilled hot dog.

The Fourth is the Americans Declaration of Independence weekend and it seems that every city is filled with festivities, food and fireworks of all types. This week's World Tour highlights the top cities to enjoy the weekend of independence, good beer and massive amounts of food. Chicago is a great start in our book because the Taste of Chicago is this weekend which means you can try all the deep dish pizza that your stomach can consume while taking in some great Mid-West weather (*what an oxymoron when you think of their winters...). Boston is the typical stomping grounds because they do all the traditional patriotic activities during their Harborfest. If you want more of a party, party, party...you know Miami takes the cake on this one. Wonder if they even have activities that do not include red, white and blue bikinis??

Getting a cheap flight to the Caribbean or Europe is priceless, but sometimes you need to just spend some time at home. Lucky for us, United Airlines and the like tend to have "friendly" fares for those wishing to stay within this territory for the holiday weekend. Plan a cookout, take a road trip or hop on a last minute flight to a U.S. destination...this is the one weekend, I just want to sit in my uncle's backyard, swat away the mosquitoes and take back a few the old fashioned American way...Happy Fourth of July!!

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World Tour: Marrakesh Palace (DC)

Last night I had the pleasure of taking a trip to Morocco. Not on a United Airlines flight, but it sure did look like a familiar setting. I guess I should start by telling you where I went last night...Marrakesh Palace in Dupont is where I trekked in the heavy District heat for what I thought would be simple couscous and the like. It was well worth the walk from the Dupont Metro (*which easily feels like 15 NY blocks in this weather...). I decided to get the Marrakesh Feast which covers all the basics of a classic Moroccan meal. Soup Harira, Mixed Green Salad, Bastilla Chicken and Lamb Couscous make up the traditional menu.

Good option for someone that has either never visited Morocco or it has been a very long time since your last trip. For me it has been about 5 plus 4 stars and 2 silver moons since we tasted actual Moroccan fare in Morocco. With a timeline like that, we cannot even remember the flavors except for the astringency of cloves in the food. Marrakesh Palace was a good reminder of the authentic aroma of turmeric and ginger soaked lamb and chicken. One of the most distinct flavors I noticed in all of the food was the use of cilantro...why I think cilantro is strictly a Latin American flavor is beyond me but Marrakesh had a healthy portion in most of the dishes that I tasted. Excellent compliment.

Until I get a cheap flight to Morocco, Marrakesh Palace will have to do. Not a bad supplement if I do say so myself, they even have the belly dancers come around daily so you get the total Moroccan experience...

World Tour: Travel=Food

Travel and food go together like a horse and carriage (*the theme song from Married with Children just popped into my head…). Last night I had the pleasure of attending a South African wine tasting at an acclaimed District Art Gallery. During one of my networking sessions, I was telling one of the members of the organization who held the event that I was a food blogger. How that equated to her telling me about her friend who runs a travel blog with cheap flight deals is beyond me…but it made sense when I got to thinking about the two side by side.

Travel equals food because you spend most of your trip eating out at the local dining venues. When I think of all the places I want to visit in the coming years, food is the focal point. Sure I want to see the pyramids of Egypt but what is Egyptian fare like? An Alaskan cruise sounds wonderful but what is the seafood about?? As I round out my plans for the Fourth of July, again food is the focal point. Vegas sounds great for Independence Day but in my opinion it is not a foodie town unless you’re ready to spend big bucks at Tao every night…

Basically, when you think about where your next American Airlines frequent flyer miles will take you, consider what type of food you will have to eat. Spending two weeks in a city like Tangier when you do not fancy a heaping helping of couscous could be a bad idea or even better when visiting Vienna (*like I did some years ago) if you do not like veal maybe you should limit the stay to two nights instead of the originally planned three. Now this is not to say the sites won’t fill you up but for a foodie, who wants to be lost in a mysterious land without good food? Not I.

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World Tour: 2010 World Cup South Africa

Each week we post a tidbit on various regions of the world. Either we visited these places, wish to visit these places or are just curious about what types of food and culture come with the territory. The World Cup has began and this makes our job a lot easier. With over 30 teams from around the world participating in the most intense soccer game of the season, making our list of places just became that much easier. Soccer (*everywhere else except America...) is the dominant sport so this is probably the most integrated sporting event that this world will ever see.

With the World Cup being held in South Africa, this brings back blissful memories we spent there last year. Ironically, other than the World Cup events, this is not the best time to visit the southern most region of Africa. Johannesburg and Cape Town is where we spent most of our journey and the weather was less than appealing. Despite the weather it was like a breath of fresh air (*no exaggeration) to take in all the natural appeal of South Africa. Of course, when one is in South Africa, you must go on a safari. How beautiful?! The thought of visiting a zoo now seems almost inhumane when you think of all the animals in Africa just roaming free and enjoying life without being caged in at your local zoo.

Other than the beautiful images and the smell of fresh ocean air (*Cape Town officially holds the title of being home to one of our top five beaches in the world), the food was distinctive in flavor and presentation. When we visit a place where the lobster can literally be collected from the water down the street, thrown into a steam pot and then on our plate...we are going all in! Lobster was our seafood of choice and we tried it in all forms: steamed, sauteed, broiled...all with the deep freshness of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans. Just thinking of this now leaves us with a slight regret that we did not search for a cheap flight to the World Cup (*which probably would be impossible anyway...). We will start, however, thumbing through United Airlines deals for a getaway later this year...lobster and warmer weather at the southern most tip sounds like a plan.

World Tour: The District World Tour

No travel plans this week. Finally. The past two months has been nothing but airports and train stations. I will now have a little time to enjoy the District during this steamy season. Lucky for me, this is the perfect time to be in town because outdoor seating is spread throughout the city. No searching for cheap flights this week, we will be perusing the streets to find the best dishes that remind us of our recent travels (*and future travels we fantasize about often...).

Cafe Atlantico is at the top of our lists with a shaded patio and their "Majic Mojitos". Commonwealth Gastropub has a 40-seat patio with French Margaritas and a few beer centric cocktails. Black's Bar and Kitchen in Bethesda has a cute pond with a 60-seat outdoor patio. Zatinya is offering plenty of mezze's and a few cocktails such as the Greek Sidecar (*Metaxa, Cointreau, luxardo maraschino liquor, lemon juice and a candied citrus rim)...and you can bring your dog. The Bombay Club outdoor patio sounds like a nice way to end a short walk across Lafayette Park.

These are just a few spots that I think I might check out this weekend especially at the early part of summer. As the summer progresses the steam is going to force me inside unless it is after 8 pm (*when the sun has drifted away...). I think the key is merging my two favorite activities right now: food and travel. Until my American Airlines points build up again, I will have to resort to only tasting the flavors of the places I want to visit...

World Tour: Geneva, Switzerland

The first time I went to Europe as an adult, I visited Geneva, Switzerland. What a great way to start my travels in the EU?! Switzerland is beautiful and typically you would think of the Swiss Alpes as the main attraction but when you visit Geneva, it’s almost like you forget they are there. Lake Geneva took up most of my attention and I spent most of my time observing its accents night and day. It was one of the most calming and peaceful experiences of my life. Geneva is a major city in Switzerland but ironically loud noise past 10 pm is totally unacceptable. Good thing we had plenty of fondue to keep our mouths shut.

Once we discovered how cheap the fondue was and how delicious Swiss fondue tasted with our favorite beverage of choice, red wine, we spent most of our time dipping and double dipping. Geneva is the place of chocolate. As you know, chocolate, sweets and the rest of the family are not my favorite foods but if chocolate is your thing, this is place you need to add to your travel list. Watches with much attention to detail, cheeses to please any palate and chocolate galore…Geneva has carved out its own identity in the EU and these are some of the main reasons they attract guests from all over the world.

It did not hurt that United Airlines bumped us up a notch to first class after a we had snagged a cheap flight to Switzerland. Thinking about this trip brings back amazing memories…maybe it’s time to plan another trip??...

World Tour: Paris Top Five

“Merci, Merci!” I got pretty used to saying thank you in French when I was in Paris and when it was time to come back I actually said this to my American taxi driver as I was getting out. Through the years I have traveled to many French influenced places but nothing matches up to an actual trip to France. There are so many things to take in on a trip to the French speaking country. Champagne, crepes, unparralled fashion and wine galore. When one is in Paris, there are five things you must do:

1. Have a glass of wine on the Seine. The Seine is the water passage that lies in the center of the city’s best attractions. It is the ultimate people watching scene which is probably why most of the chairs face the sidewalk and streets versus the typical table setting.

2. Take 1 to 2 days to visit the Louvre. This is the part of our trip that we regret. We only got an outside view of the house of masterpieces. Next trip we promise ourselves a trip to the Louvre: 1 day to stare at the Mona Lisa and another to see the rest of the museum.

3. Shop. When one is in Paris, you have to bring back something representative of the top fashion capitol of the world. From outdoors markets to the Avenue des Champs-Elysées strip, there are plenty of options for the inexpensive or expensive trendy trinket.

4. Enjoy a crepe while soaking up the scene outside of the Notre Dame Cathedral. One of the most prestigious churches in the city, the outdoor scene at Notre Dame is full of interesting things to see. (*When I was there, they were filming a movie that looked like it took place in the 1920’s…)

5. Visit the Eiffel Tower at night. The site is absolutely for sore eyes. If you can get a hotel with a view of the Eiffel, go for it, but if not, with a camera and a beau in tow, it is something you want to catch once the daylight leaves.

On our next cheap flight to Paris, we will be sure to tack on an extra large chunk of change for a new dress and we will extend our stay to really take in all the Louvre has to offer. For now, until our United Airlines Mileage points add up, we will continue to work on those French speaking lessons…”Au revoir!”

World Tour: 3, 4 or More

3-course, 4-course, 5-course meals. Rumor has it that French women tend to be thinner than most American women because of the smaller portions in their meals. The truth is they eat just as much as we do but they are paced in their meals and yes, the serving sizes are smaller. It takes about 20 minutes for the body to recognize that it is full so after the first course your body has already decomposed the food and thinks that it is nearly stuffed.

We were first introduced to the multi-course French meal at our beloved Citronelle in the District. As a teenager, we laughed at the idea that bite size portions of eight separate servings would fill us up...dead wrong. Thanksgiving dinner is probably the only other time of year where our bellies have felt this gorged with food. A lesson learned that we would take with us over 10 years later on a cheap flight to Paris. We now know how to handle taking in this much food over a longer period of time. Smart.

The multi-courses allow you to digest and ultimately absorb all of the flavors of the food taking in the whole experience. In Paris, multi-course dining is a dime a dozen so we stopped in on a few spots until we discovered one that had a main course we were looking for: beef bourguignon. It was hard for us to fathom how this dish would be squeezed in among other dishes because we could honestly take a whole bowl of it by its lonesome. After a few bites of a savory onion soup and chocolate mousse, it was clear that the beef bouguignon was in good company and did not need to be alone. Until our United Airlines points add up for another cheap trip to the EU, we will serve our beef bouguignon alone...but we will also watch our portions.

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World Tour: Paper Thin...Goodness.

Crepes. Our new obsession. It was only fitting that we finally made a trip to Paris after all these years. Now in the past we would see crepes on various breakfast menus and simply disregard them as thin pancakes that we would rather not take a chance on trying. Well today our views have taken a total 360 degree turnaround and we can not get enough of the paper thin layers of goodness. When we told everyone we would be visiting Paris, we made it clear that crepes were on the brain so not very many restaurant recommendations were needed (*not for this trip, anyway...). So when American Airlines touched down, we made a beeline for the first crepe stand we could find.

Crepes in Paris are just as common as the bagel stands on New York City street corners. Quick, cheap and a wide variety of options. We stuck to our two favorite combos: for the savory crepes, we prefer the spinach and feta. For the sweet crepes, we always go for the Nutella and banana. Nine times out of ten we are aiming for the sweet crepe, Nutella is the best thing that could have happened to the crepe. The sugar sweetness of the crepe compliments that chocolate-nutty flavor that comes from the Nutella, which equals pure bliss when you top that off with sliced bananas. The perfect way to have lunch in Paris on a budget with prices ranging from €3-€5.

Needless to say, we were "crepe-d" out by the time we got on our flight headed back to the U.S. We would roam around the Louvre, crepe in hand, visualizing what was inside the massive museum (*we promised ourselves the next time we get a cheap flight to Paris, we would spend at least one day sitting and stare at the Mona Lisa...). For now, since we had such a short stay, food took first priority and from the looks of things, crepes were the absolute center of attention...

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World Tour: French Twist

Bonjour! Merci! None other than Paris could be on our mind. For the first time in our worldly travels, we were more excited to see the sites of a city rather than get straight to the food. Like a kid that has just landed in Orlando for a vacation at Disney World, we felt the same exact sentiment when our United Airlines flight touched down in Paris. We made sure we were so snugly close to the Eiffel Tower that by the end of the trip it would feel as normal as seeing the Washington Monument or the Empire State Building for that matter. Good idea. At night, the Eiffel Tower is a site for sore eyes (*Translation: an old saying that basically means exceptionally beautiful).

Of course, we would be remiss if we did not talk about the food. Funny, because once we landed here, our appetite craved good wine and crepes all of a sudden. Before our departure from the U.S. we had scoured every magazine and spoken with everyone who was remotely related to all things Parisian in hopes of mapping out our food journey. It was right around our third glass of wine and spinach/feta crepe that we strolled around the Notre Dame neighborhood only to discover...fondue. Fondue. Fondue. Fondue. Could this be true?? (*the rhyming was not on purpose...we promise...)

Fondue is our second favorite food next to a big, juicy lobster. It is all things pleasure: hot, cheesy and typically beer/alcohol infused. Who could ask for anything more?? Especially when the fondue was well within the Euro budget we had acquired during our EU journey. So after dinner (*spinach and feta crepe), we had another dinner. A large creamy pot of fondue was brought out alongside about 6 small potatoes and a heaping pile of bread. This is what a vacation is supposed to be: too much food for one person. Too bad we discovered this toward the end of our trip (*or maybe a good thing for our waistline) but it will be the first priority the next time we get a chance to take a cheap flight to Paris...

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World Tour: Pound for Pound

Over the past few “World Tour: London” posts, we have glamorized one of the staples of the EU (*European Union). Rightfully so, London goes on our top 10 lists of places in the Europe. What we failed to mention was the pound. The pound brings a big stomach knot, head throbbing and slight raise of the eyebrow to a tourist bringing in American dollars. Just our luck: we find a cheap flight to London and now we have to spend what we thought we were saving. Now not to say that you do not have the funds to not even flinch at even the heaviest of fines but even Donald Trump has to note the impact of the pound. The pound eats up the dollar in the most brutal way.

We did not realize the brutality of the currency difference until we needed to exchange Euro’s for pounds...check out this break down: we started with probably about $65 USD (*United States Dollars), changed that for Euro’s which came to €55 and then to pounds which left us with £40. £40?! After putting up about $65 originally?! Unreal. To us it is more the principal because with the £40, the same price tags still apply…i.e. shoes still cost 99 and food still costs 20-40 for a decent lunch. So essentially, you are paying almost double of the USD to buy the same things in London. It is not being cheap or without the adequate funds to limit your spending here, this is just common sense.

We had a short list of purchases here needless to say, except when it came to the food. No way would we sacrifice a good meal or a good location in the city, so everything else had to suffer. We did, however, figure out some great ways for a foodie to make it on the Queen’s money. There are plenty of pubs, small Mom ‘n Pop spots and off the beaten path restaurants that have breakfast and lunch specials that will run you between £10 and £15. Each special comes with more than enough food and after getting your hands on a cheap flight to London, why would you want to spend all your money on expensive mark ups of stuff you can find in the U.S.?? Stick to a £10 to £20 for lunch and splurge on dinner is our suggestion…especially where food is not the British specialty, save those pounds for a hidden treasure that you are sure will not be found on the shelves of Barneys.

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World Tour: Samosa's Anyone?

Shopping at Harrod’s, roaming around Leiscester Square and watching the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace were some of our favorite moments from a recent visit to London. We enjoyed treking up and down the double decker buses and dipping in various English Pubs to avoid the light rain drops. Perhaps one of the best parts was, of course, tasting the food. Whether it be good or bad, we do not care when it comes to food…we just want to taste, formulate our own opinion and add that experience to our memory museum. Quite a book that we can add to the memory bank from London.

After a cheap flight to London and a short stay, we can say we have had some of the best fish and chips in London. Just thinking about the extra bottle of vinegar they give you in lieu of what we are used to the United States (*i.e. our fish and chips typically are accompanied by Heinz 57 or Texas Pete) makes us want to lick our fingers all over again (*won’t do that or the girl sitting beside me on the flight would be really freaked out…). Ironically, the best thing we had in London was not the fish and chips, however, it was the Sri Lankan and Indian cuisine we taste tested.

Buckingham Palace was on our list for the day alongside Hyde Park, Picadilly Circus and Kensington. Lucky for us, Buckingham Palace has some quaint, reputable spots surrounding it to eat at and our aching soles (*and bellies) thanked us. We decided we would go with one of the recommendations that we had received on the Indian food in London. One person described it as some of the best Indian food they had ever tasted. We can agree with this. Even days later, we can still smell the strong aroma of cardamom and tumeric flowing through our nasal passages. The chicken falling off the bone as it took in all the flavors of the pool of golden brown curry. Yum.

If ever you should get a cheap flight to London, there are three things you must do: 1. Take a tourist picture in front of Buckingham Palace (*You know the kind where you’re smiling directly in the camera with the background behind you as you awkwardly pose), 2. Have a drink, or two (*or three) at an English Pub (*makes for great conversation…we adore those British accents) and 3. Eat fish and chips but if you do not like, go for the Indian food…it’s a great plan B.

World Tour: London Treats

Never judge a book by its cover. Those are our words to live by and we did just that when we went to London. After hearing from various sources that London would be full of less than tasteful food (*searched for the best way to say that), we decided we couldn’t judge the place based on these comments. We would need to investigate this matter ourselves. We booked a cheap flight to London and packed our bags. A place that is booming with fashion that we couldn’t keep our eyes off of (*fashion is our other passion that deserved a little more attention this trip…), the home of the most elite of royal families and the common stomping grounds of one of the most renowned singing groups of our time, The Beatles…we found it hard to believe that it did not have it’s own delicious fare standing out among the surrounding EU (*Translation: European Union).

After our short and cheap flight, we were badly in need of eggs and luckily eggs is a key component of what is referred to as the “English Breakfast”. The English Breakfast consists of eggs over easy, toast, sausage, bacon and beans (*reminds us of good ‘ole Pork and Beans). Interesting to say the least. We, unfortunately, were not pleased and insisted on heading out into the city for some typical sightseeing to clean up the dirty thoughts we were having of London cuisine. Harrod’s did the trick with some much needed retail therapy. Side bar on this spot: Now anybody that knows us, knows we keep it strictly to the food…that is until you come across those places in time such as Harrods. This is a massive operation that is about the size of a mini mall and puts the Macy’s in New York to shame…smh (*Translation: Shaking my head…).

Between Buckingham Palace, Harrods and TopShop the disturbance to our palate was long forgotten by the next feeding time. Of course, we decided to give the fare another try (*and besides we had nowhere else to go for food…) and this time we had to try the acclaimed fish and chips. Absolutely delightful. As we munched and crunched on the thick, crispy fried cod alongside a heaping pile of fries, we were pleased with what we had discovered. London may not be the capitol of fantastic food fare, but it has those fish and chips down cold.

World Tour: Fish and Chips from London

Fish and chips is the first thing I think of when London comes to mind. Funny because for most people it might be the Royal Botanic Gardens or the Tower of London but for me the food is the first pressing thought. In just a few short weeks, we will be strolling the streets of England’s capitol city known for the home of the Royal family and pounds for currency. After finding a cheap flight to London, it was time to decide just how long we wanted to stay in the city. When rationing out our time spent in the city, we decided we should shorten our stay because we have yet to hear about cuisine that matches its sister European cities such as Paris or Rome. We shall see whether this was a good idea.

Though many may think fish and chips, bangers and mash and the like are the only types of food you might find floating around the royal city, this is a mere myth. Indian food seems to be taking its toll on the culture. A few friends visited London a couple of years ago and said they had some of the best Indian food there but could not think of any good places for typical English fare. The irony. A city that is exalted for it’s diversity, fashion, deep architecture history and politics does not have good food?? And to find out the food that is good is not native to the land?? We must investigate.

This is interesting and exciting all in one. Now we know that we will visit London and get to see all the distinguished sites that we have seen on television/newspapers/magazines all these years but we will also have the opportunity to have some of the best Indian food in Europe. With an Indian population of about 6.5%, it is even more baffling how this cuisine has taken the lead in the best fare of London. Would we really catch a cheap flight to London to get the best Indian food vs. English food?? These are only opinions, we may very well get to London and realize this is the best fish and chips we’ve ever had, but we could also find the fish and chips absolutely insulting to our palate and it is good to know that we can redeem ourselves with some good ‘ole fashioned Indian food.

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World Tour: Tapas Anyone?

In DC, tapas are the food of choice during happy hour. The food is served in smaller portions and the drinks are larger. Many people that frequent spots in the District such as La Tasca of Chinatown or Jaleo do not know the origins of tapas. After traveling to Spain, we discovered tapas are a long standing Spanish tradition that stems from the Spanish dining hours. Spaniards usually eat dinner between 9 pm-11 pm and lunch is generally served between the hours of 1 pm-3 pm, so they tend to bar hop and eat tapas in between those two dining intervals.

Tapas are generally flavored with saffron, chilies, paprika and cumin and served as a compliment to the various Spanish wines served at the bar. Meatballs, olives, chorizo and tomato based dishes are common menu selections for tapas. Our favorites are the Meatballs in Tomato Sauce, Pimientos Rellenos and the various stuffed Empanadas with a voluminous chato (*Translation: glass of wine). Until we can get a cheap flight to Barcelona, we will take advantage of the authentic tapas right here in the DMV. In the District, we recommend Bambule, Oyamel and Sabores which feature creative twist on tapas-style plates.

So in between, the time of lunch and dinner you have the option of having succulent bites to suppress the hunger based on the Spanish way of life. We like this. It reminds us of the whole drinking wine @ noon that the French are accustomed to doing on a daily basis. Unless we are lucky enough to travel to Spain on a cheap ticket for some afternoon bliss, we will have to make do with the American way: tapas served breakfast, lunch and dinner! Not bad at all…

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World Tour: Ingredients for the Spanish Diet

This is the month of Spanish food. We are officially declaring it…well, not exactly, but we do have an intoxicating urge for dishes full of saffron, thyme and rosemary. This week’s Travel Dream to Spain focuses on the flavors that you should have in your cabinet to make most Spanish dishes. When you think Spain you think paella which is a fair food association. You honestly have not have paella until you have actually traveled to Spain. Now there are definitely places in the States that meet the requirements but it’s something about the way it’s made in its native surroundings that beguiles the senses. Maybe it’s the placebo effect…we don’t know, but its good!

For your cooking pleasure and to remind you of time you spent in Spain, planning to spend or just for daydreaming purposes, here are a list of ingredients that should be included:

Bread- This is the base of many Spanish tapas. Bread is necessary to round out the meal or rather small meal. Baguettes are the most popular types of bread for a Spanish style meal.

Tomatoes- Now we understand there are people out there who don’t eat tomatoes but for those that do, this is a must. Now during these winter months, tomatoes are out of season so the canned stuff will have to do.

Saffron- Imagine paella without saffron?? You’re doomed from the beginning. Now we are believers in there are multiple routes to one goal and in this case that would be to create the perfect paella…if you can do this without saffron, please school us.

Spanish wine- Wine is one our favorite tools in the kitchen. It adds an alternative to simmering, deglazing and bringing flavor to a dish. The Spanish have mastered this addition in many of the signature dishes such as Estofado (*Spanish beef and potato stew) and Paella Valenciana.

You could just take a cheap flight to Barcelona and try the real deal or for $20 bucks bring Spain to your kitchen. With our budget (*or until we come across a cheap ticket), we think we’ll go with the latter. Ole!

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World Tour: The City That Never Sleeps

Think of it as the city that never sleeps in Spain and that's what sums up the city of Madrid. Well, not exactly. It's the city that never sleeps @ night. Madrid is known for starting the day @ 2 pm and going well into the wee hours of the night. Now it's been some years since we last ventured over to the capitol city of Spain but the memories are still as fresh as the hangover we’re experiencing from those drinks last night. The thing that sticks out the most is the vibrant nightlife that allowed a 16 year old to live the life of a grown, professional 25 year old. Fun times.

Now mind you at this time we were @ a very impressionable age and dared to try just about anything including sneaking out from under our chaperone's nose to club and drink too much tequila. Ramales Square, Plaza de Cibeles and the Royal Palace of Madrid stand out on the long list of archaic (*well archaic to our generation…) landmarks in Madrid. Though we love all the historic stuff, it was the flamenco dancers that we fell in love with…we left wanting to pursue a professional career as a flamenco dancer. Clearly, you need a small waste for this profession which quickly ended that dream for us. Being the largest city in Spain with a drinking age of 16, it’s no wonder we found plenty of ways to get into trouble.

From Madrid, we trekked to Cordoba, Seville and…Tangier. Yup, as in Tangier, Morocco (North Africa). As we passed the Rock of Gibraltar on a ferry, we didn’t know that by the end of the day we @ the tender age of 16 would know what real African couscous should taste like, how to mount a camel and ride a full mile and leave with a pair of balghas. Nowadays, you can take a cheap flight to Tangier for prices starting @ 4 Euros and be there in no time (*Ohh, the benefits of the Internet and cheap travel…). Now we officially feel the aging process sinking in…we thought we were doing fairly well with the ferry plus a day of fun for $100.

Looking back on this experience, makes us take a look @ how we didn’t understand or have the palate we have now. I remember calling home about how home sick I was about the food and now what I would give for a nice heaping pile of couscous and tajine (*a lamb or poultry stew). Is there any way I can have that tajine overnighted to the District via FEDEX??

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World Tour: All Around the World

So with all the saving we're thinking about doing, we need something to do with all that cash right?? How about using it all to vacay?? Well, not all of it now that we've discovered cheap flights to Barcelona. Let us welcome you to our newest addition to our weekly posts: Travel Made Cheap. Thanks to the help of eDreams.com, each week we will take you on a wonderful journey around the world...on a budget, that is. To get the ball rolling, we start with Barcelona. How sexy?...No, wait, how delicious?? Immediately, paella comes to mind. Yum.

Besides being the number two largest city in Spain, Barcelona is one of the top ten most populated cities in the EU (*Translation: European Union). We could give you a history lesson on Barcelona i.e. founded as a Roman city, home of the '92 Summer Olympics, blah, blah, blah...but really would this be a foodie site if that's what we focused on?? No. Hence, we move on to the cuisine. Mediterranean is the theme of the Barcelona diet filled with the best olive oils, fish and fresh veggies. It's no surprise that fresh seafood would grace the menus of many Barcelona restaurants with fresh water passages lining the cities border.

Restaurants such as Cinc Sentits (*known for its 8-course tasting menu that highlights classic Catalan cuisine) and Escriba (*Translation: Scribe) boast quality service without sacrificing the authenticity of Barcelona's food fare. Escriba stands out in our book offering a beach view while guests are feasting on tapas and paella...what could be better?? Though both of these restaurants stand on the pricier side of things (*about €35=$50), that's the purpose of saving on the commute so you can splurge on the cities goodies...food!

Cold (*No, freezing.) temperatures make the beach sound so enticing right now especially after getting all the details of a close friends trip to Barcelona (*which inspired this post)...Thanks for the info friend, but when is it our turn??...

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