Best From Expats

      Every expat travels a lot... Wether going on a business trip, visiting relatives or on vacations, mastering the art of packing saves you time, money and trouble (like having your luggage lost...). My husband and I travel with carry-on luggage whenever possible. My tips for compact packing are:

- clothes that won't wrinkle, in neutral colors (so they match easily multiplying your outfits)

- usually I travel wearing a comfortable (usually broken in) pair of day shoes and take one pair for the evenings. Pack your shoes in a plastic bag, tightly together, with the soles facing out. And always fill them (socks, scarves, etc.) so you don't waste their inner space.

      I'm currently 37 weeks pregnant and some questions have been constantly in my mind... How to raise a child as a nomad, a citizen of the world, moving every 2- 3 years to a different culture... How will she feel about not belonging to any specific place, about being raised so different than her parents were, about making a "little dance of white lies" every time someone asks her where she is from... I know that Buddhists are always looking to be free of attachments, and I agree that this is good, but I really fear that she could have troubles attaching to people, making long-lasting friendships and finding someone that completes her...

    Of course there is a bright side too... She will get to know lots of interesting people, develop language skills, adapt easily anywhere (despite the climate or culture), will always be open for new experiences, getting out of her comfort zone and expanding it, and will not judge people concerning their race, color, religion or citizenship. 

       Here are some links that have helped me deal with all this... Hope they help my expats friends as well...

http://www.denizenmag.com/third-culture-kid/

http://www.amazon.com/Third-Culture-Kids-International-ebook/dp/B00570S4XS/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1382791259&sr=1-2&keywords=third+culture+kids

http://www.amazon.com/Third-Culture-Kids-Growing-ebook/dp/B004774S1O/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1382791259&sr=1-1&keywords=third+culture+kids

http://naomihattaway.com/2013/09/i-am-a-triangle-and-other-thoughts-on-repatriation/

Photo from Naomi Hattaway - naomihattaway.com

      Another great option for riding a cab in NYC…

      The Way 2 Ride app makes paying for your cab ride easier and faster. Download the app and sign up (enter your name, phone, credit card, amount of tip and the way you'd like to receive your receipt). When you are in the cab just check-in in the monitor by approaching your phone to the screen (and it will capture a sound, just like Shazam and SoundHound) or by entering in the phone the code that is shown in the monitor. At your destination, when the cab driver presses the end of ride button, the payment is quickly processed and the receipt emailed to you (or printed if this was your option when you signed up).  

      Soon it will be possible to electronically hail a cab too in the same app (as in the apps Hailo and TaxiMagic, that I've written about here).

      I tried for the first time today and recommend it!

      I love, love, love this city. Every time I go I discover something new. I would like to thank some dear friends that live there for a while (Marcela Simões, Livia Zonzini,  & Astrid Gysen). They introduced me to their favorite places in town and contributed a lot to this post. Hope you enjoy this city as much as I do!

      Where to Stay:

- I recommend staying in Xintiandi neighborhood (nice options are Ascott Huai Hai Road or Andaz) or in the Bund neighborhood (Peninsula Hotel or Waldorf Astoria).

      What to Do:

- Explore the charming neighborhoods of Xintiandi, the Bund, French Concession;

- Go for a walk / run at the Bund;

- Pudong (Shanghai World Financial Center - The tall building that resembles a bottle opener. It has nice views from the top, including the Oriental Pearl Tower, which has gigantic lines to get in so Livia would not recommend this one, just the SWFC…);

- Huai Hai Road: considered Shanghai's 5th Svenue;

- Wukang Road and Anfu Road in French Concession are a must-see. In Wukang Lu hits Ferguson Lane, filled with coffee shops, spas, stores and restaurants. Franck Restaurant is there and it is considered the best French Bistrot in town. Marcela's favorite bakeries are located in Anfu Road - Baker & Spice and Sunflour. Both places are great for a Sunday brunch or an afternoon coffee;

- Nanjing Road: popular commerce, crowded street, but I'm definitely not  a big fan; 

- Yuyuan Garden, God Temple & Confucian Temple;

- Jing'an Temple;

- Jade Buddha Temple;

- People's Square (Shanghai Urban Planing Exhibition Center is here with its huge scale model of Shanghai approved for construction up to the year of 2020);

- Fabric Market: great for cashmere scarves and coats (tailor made);

- Pearl Market;

- IFC Mall and Plaza 66: malls with luxury brands;

- Han City: the fake market;

- Taikang Road: great location to buy scarves (Woo store) and photos of Shanghai. Taikang Lu is the "art street" of Shanghai. It has great stores (such as Casa Pagoda Furniture Store) and restaurants too (Origin is a great place to have lunch and The Commune Social is perfect for an afternoon drink / coffee);

- Xintiandi: it's a whole block with shops, malls, restaurants and bars. Great place to hang out at night time;

- Yongkang Road: where the young people hang out after work, a street filled with bars and restaurants with a great vibe. Marcela says the best places to hit while here are: Sushi O, Le Cafe des Stagiaires, The Sailors;

- Massages: Really good and cheap. the best places are: Green Massage and Dragonfly (this one has several addresses);

      Where to Eat:

- Brunch: Hai Pai (Andaz), Vue (Hyatt), Isola (IFC), The Westin (always some kind of performance going on), Cuivre (French, also crowded, good for dinner too), Henkes (Inside the Reel Mall at Nanjing Road, also good for dinner), Park Hyatt (the highest hotel in Shanghai has a Lobster Champagne Brunch for the Lobster lovers), La Fourchette (French with a play space for the kids, also good for dinner, best steak tartare in town), Sir Elly's at the Peninsula hotel (another brunch with a view), Jean Georges, Azul (Inside K11 mall at Huai Hai Road);

- Lunch: Simply Thai, Kabb, Din Tai Fung (best dumplings), El Elephante (Mediterranean), Origin, The Portman Ritz Carlton Shanghai (the hotel is surrounded by shops and restaurants and it's a great place for lunch), Cantina Agave (Mexican), Element Fresh (Xintiandi),  Le Creperie (best Crepes in town), The Fat Olive (Greek), Wagas (quick bite);

- Dinner: M on the Bund, Mr & Mrs Bund (French), Mercato (Italian), Lost Heaven (Asian), Stiller's (French), Goga (Californian), Haiku (Sushi), Franck (French), Maya (Mexican), Mexo (Mexican at the Bund), Dakota (Burgers), Pulau Ketan (best Crab), Pizza Marzano, El Willy (Spanish tapas), Pata Negra (Spanish Tapas), 8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo,  Isola, Morton's (Isola is an Italian and Morton's a Steak house located inside the IFC mall), Shintori (Japanese), Masala (best Indian), Roosevelt Sky Restaurant (beautiful skyline of the city). Last but not least, Marcela suggests Ultraviolet, the best restaurant of all. The chef Paul Pairet cooks a 20-course menu for only 10 people/ night. Obviously it requires booking in advance through the website (http://www.uvbypp.cc/);

- Bars: M1NT (good for dinner too), The Camel Sports Bar, Flair (for drinks and finger foods- at Ritz), El Coctel (for drinks), The Commune Social (afternoon drinks or coffee), Unico (at the Bund good for drinks and dancing), The Glamour Bar, The Roof at Waterhouse;

- Bakeries: Baker and Spice, Sunflour;

      Websites and Blogs:

- http://www.bestfromexpats.com (just kidding)

- http://www.smartshanghai.com

- http://wikitravel.org/en/Shanghai

See Shanghai tips- BestFromExpats.com in a larger map

 Brooklyn:
-Antica Pesa
-Reynard at the Whyte
-Frankies Spuntino
-Peter Luger (best steaks of NY)

 Chocolates:

- Jacques Torres

- Vosges

- La Maison du Chocolat

- Godiva

- Hershey's

- M&M's

 Macarrons:

- Ladurée

- La Maison du Macarron

- Bouchon Bakery (Columbus Circle)

- Financier

 Candy:

- Dylan's Candy Bar - it looks like you'll meet Willy Wonka anytime…

- It'Sugar

- F.A.O. Schweetz

     Until June 6th, in New York City, yellow taxis were restricted to street hails, while livery cabs were restricted to pre-arranged service (Groundlink, Limos, Carmel). You could also get a black cab using Uber.

      But now you can use apps to get a yellow cab: Hailo (yellow taxis only), Taxi Magic (yellow) and Uber (you have both options, yellow and black cabs). 

      Always have in mind that it's really difficult to find an available yellow cab on rainy days, as well as during the shift changes (from 4pm to 7:30pm). I usually use Uber on these occasions. And when I have to go to the airport with lots of luggage, snowboard, etc. I book a pre-arranged service to get a Suburban.

       I've already posted other tips about transportation in Manhattan here!

      Everyone who owns a bike in Manhattan knows it's pretty common to have it stollen when it's parked  (parts of it or the whole bike). So if you ride a bike to go to work CitiBike could be a great deal!

      You sign in for 24-hour, 7-day or annual plan, depending on your needs. You pick up the bike at one of the hundreds stations available, unlock it (code or key), adjust the seat for your heigh and ride it for 30 or 45 minutes (annual members) and then park it again in any station. You can ride as many times you'd like.

Helmets are not obligatory but highly recommended!

      Manhattanhenge is a circumstance that occurs twice a year, during which the setting sun aligns with the east–west streets of the main street grid in the borough of Manhattan in New York City. The neologism is derived from Stonehenge, where the sun aligns with the stones on the solstices with a similarly dramatic effect (the word was popularized in 2002 by Neil deGrasse Tyson, anastrophysicist at the American Museum of Natural History). During Manhattanhenge, an observer on one of the gridded east-west streets will see the sun setting over New Jersey directly opposite, from the street, along its centerline.

      Arrive a half-hour earlier than the times given below. For best effect, position yourself as far east in Manhattan as possible. But ensure that when you look west across the avenues you can still see New Jersey. Clear cross streets include 14th, 23rd, 34th. 42nd, 57th, and several streets adjacent to them. The Empire State building and the Chrysler building render 34th street and 42nd streets especially striking vistas.

       Mock-up of the half sun on the grid during Manhattanhenge:

      Tuesday, May 28 8:16 P.M. EDT

      Saturday, July 13 8:24 P.M. EDT

      Mock-up of the full sun on the grid during Manhattanhenge:

      Wednesday, May 29 8:15 P.M. EDT

      Friday, July 12 8:23 P.M. EDT

  About Solstices and Equinoxes:

     The sunset point actually creeps day to day along the horizon: northward until the first day of summer, then returning southward until the first day of winter. In spite of what pop-culture tells you, the Sun rises due east and sets due west only twice per year (around 20 March and 22 September). On the equinoxes: the first day of spring and of autumn, when day and night are the same length. Every other day, the Sun rises and sets elsewhere on the horizon. Had Manhattan's grid been perfectly aligned with the geographic north-south line, then the days of Manhattanhenge would coincide with the equinoxes. But Manhattan's street grid is rotated 30 degrees east from geographic north, shifting the days of alignment elsewhere into the calendar. So Manhattanhenge may just be a unique urban phenomenon in the world, if not the universe.

     The summer solstice is the first day of summer and is the day of the year with the longest period of daylight – except in the polar regions, where daylight is continuous for anything from a few days to six months centered on the summer solstice. This happens twice each year (once at each hemisphere), at which times the Sun reaches its highest position in the sky as seen from the North or South Pole respectively. Worldwide, interpretation of the event has varied among cultures, but most have held a recognition of sign of the fertility, involving holidays, festivals, gatherings, rituals or other celebrations around that time. In the Northern hemisphere the summer solstice occurs on June 21.

     The winter solstice is the first day of winter and it is the longest night (and the shortest day) of the year, when the sun appears at noon at its lowest altitude above the horizon. In the Northern Hemisphere this is the Southern solstice, the time at which the Sun is at its southernmost point in the sky, which usually occurs on December 21.