Holiday Crafts Market

Are you on the lookout for creative gifts for friends, family and colleagues? If you’re in New York City, head on down to downtown Brooklyn any of the first three weekends in December. I will be there December 10th and December 17th only. And I'm very much looking forward to showing my creations at this well-curated market that’s focused on fashion, art and design, hence the acronym F.A.D. I will be selling five of my items: photo prints, AngryJ dolly, fashionable multi-pocket vest for women, unisex micro travel bag, and any-occasion photo greeting cards. Anyone who comes to my table and mentions they heard about this on my blog, will automatically get a 10% discount. And anyone buying my vest + bag will get these two items for $204 instead of $240, a $36 discount. See ya.

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Cycling in Djerba, Tunisia

Many, including myself, have come under Djerba's spell. Perhaps even Ulysses. After all, this Mediterranean island has long been suffused with mythology. In Homer's Odyssey, Ulysses and his crew were said to have been seduced by the sweet fruit of lotus flowers -- most likely it was a fermented beverage that intoxicated them -- that they had difficulty heading back to their ships. No wonder this isle is sometimes dubbed the "Isle of Forgetfulness."


What I found was equally intoxicating from an atmospheric point of view. This petite lush Tunisian oasis that's trimmed with sandy beaches is a perfect place for bicycling: an almost year-round sunny land that's as flat as it can be, aside from a few minor hills. (For those not wanting to work up a sweat, the bus network is extensive or you can rent a scooter or a car.) But, for me, cycling allows for more of an intimacy with the land.

And though there are not the tantalizing lotus flowers -- or whatever fermented fruit they may have consumed -- that are said to have tempted Ulysses and his men, there is the sweet perfume of flowering fruit trees.


The golden swaths of sand is what attracts most everyone who steps on Djerba's shores. In fact, the northeast coast with its clutter of resorts and private beaches sees most of the tourist traffic. Instead, I headed further south towards the causeway where I found more solitude along the sandy stretches.


But, a much more magical landscape awaited inland where the scape is dappled with gnarled olive groves and tall date palms. Once I left the sandy coast, I found quiet country lanes where donkey carts rolled by, fields of grazing sheep, and even a young boy herding camels.


Djerba's villages dramatically sparkle in the sunlight, their whitewashed facades in stark contrast to their azure-blue trim and the colorful surrounding fields planted with a cornucopia of fruits, from pomegranates and apricots to mandarins and grapes. Each village displays the island's distinctive white-washed domed buildings. Even the mosques have an unusual architecture, more fortress-like than you might've expected if you're accustomed to the ornate Ottoman embellishments.


Many of the island's villages are noted for different artisanal goods: whether its hand-woven baskets from Fatou or straw hats from Sedouikech. And Saturday morning brings crowds to El May flocking to their colorful market. For generations, the village of Guellala in the south has been turning out pottery and ceramics that's still made the traditional way, on the potter's wheel, with the clay dug from small quarries just outside of town.


One morning, I wandered the vibrant souks in Houmt Souk, the island's picturesque capital that's brimming elaborate silver filagree jewelry, palm leaf-woven baskets, camel hide bags, boldly hued Bedouin belts.


My retreat was the snowy white village of Er Riadh with its network of narrow lanes. There I found the Hotel Dar Dhiafa, a boutique property that's fashioned from centuries-old houses. This is an idyllic place to walk through the tiled courtyards, past pools and niches where bougainvillea are draped and candles cast a warm glow. Plus, they have some of the best cuisine around, North African dishes with French accents.

One of the most surprising findings here is that a Jewish population has called this village home for some 2,000 years. In the modern-day synagogue, El Ghriba, North Africa's oldest, beyond the blue-trimmed white facade is a sun-speckled interior bedecked with ornate mosaics and painted pillars and archways.

Even if Djerba is mostly flat, it's nice to know that weary muscles can easily get some relief. That's because Djerba has become a center for thalassotherapy, spa treatments that revolve around sea water and seaweed treatments that are said to be especially rejuvenating. A firm massage or a soothing wrap could very well be as seductive as the beverage that once captivated Ulysses.

Things To Do

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A Colorful Chilean City

With a network of steep streets set on hillsides that are also sliced by equally steep staircases, Valparaiso
reminds me of a rustic but much more charming San Francisco. Just over an hour from Santiago, Chile, this port town is probably most identified by its 14 funiculars that drop off residents and visitors alike among the brightly painted clapboard houses. What a cool way of getting around this hilly city but, after taking a couple of these, I chose to walk to get a more intimate feel of the land. A walking tour is a slow endeavor, to be sure, not only because of the aerobic workout required to get about, but, more importantly, because of the many distractions including the boldly-painted murals along an endless array of facades.

This UNESCO World Heritage Site is also dotted with several museums, from the Fine Arts Museum
that's housed in an early 20th century mansion to another that faces a panoramic viewpoint and displays the cartoons of journalist, Renzo Pecchenino, aka Lucas

Valparaiso's Central Market, where vendors hawk prickly pear, miniature avocados, giant brown seaweed and many more items, is a must-see before boarding the circa 1910 funicular.

But, though the town has a quaint aura, there are accommodations that radiate luxury. Casa Higueras, a restored mansion from the 1930s that went through a $2 million restoration in late 2006, is a sophisticated 20-room boutique property that provides guests with an infinity pool that hangs over the hill and an outside blue-tiled Jacuzzi. Rooms have plenty of antique touches, whether it's an old writing desk or a tiled fireplace. I enjoyed lunch at their restaurant, Montealegre, that features local-sourced seafood and amazing views -- after it, I sat on lovely umbrella-shaded terrace high above the city's port. My overnight was spent at the amazing Hotel Zero, which was once a house dating from 1880. Some of the nine rooms provide views of the sea but all come with alpaca blankets, Egyptian cotton sheets and work by local artists. (Despite so many sights to check out, I found it hard to leave this accommodation.) Interestingly, the name, Zero, refers to a "back to basics' approach, which translates to the idea that the hotel should be thought of as your home. In the terraced garden lush with bougainvillea and almond trees, I sipped first a beverage blended from cherimoya and then a glass of white wine while snacking on on olives and goat cheese.

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Activities Galore in Australia's Northernmost City

Often seen as a stepping-stone to the Northern Territory's national parks, Darwin, Australia's northernmost city, is a paradise destination in its own right. "Australia," a "Gone With The Wind" romantic adventure set in the Outback and starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman, was shot in Darwin. And this is a perfect time to visit given the number of new and improved activities.

1. In this city where young people and entrepreneurs flock, one company is taking advantage of the network of flat bicycle paths wending through the city. (Almost 50 miles of paths criss cross the city.) Darwin Walking and Biking Tours offers day trips along the beachfront lining the harbor as well as to the lush botanical gardens and other green spaces and landmarks. I took one of their two-hour walking tours where we strolled past Aboriginal sites, several museums and a World War II memorial, Our guide peppered this ride with plenty of worthwhile
trivia, including that the Japanese dropped more bombs on Darwin during World War II than Pearl Harbor

2. In addition, a relatively new aboriginal-run tour company, Unique Indigenous Land Tours offers an all-day tour where you'll have plenty of opportunities to sample bush foods -- the mangrove worms don't taste like chicken but they do taste like oysters -- and even go barramundi fishing the traditional way.

3. One way of taking advantage of Darwin's warm weather is by attending the outdoor Deckchair Cinema. Set along the lovely harborside, you can get comfy and watch either art house or big budget films. The cinema is up and running during Darwin’s dry season which is approximately from May/June to September/October.

4. Watch the glorious sunset from the deck of the 100-foot-long schooner named the Alfred Nobel. (It was once an explosives barge.) On this dinner cruise, I dined on grilled barramundi and local Tiger prawns.

5. You'll see Darwin for the melting pot that it is especially on Sunday and Thursday nights if you visit the open-air Mindil Beach Sunset Markets. (This is also during the dry season.) This is not like any outdoor market you've ever seen because it's almost like a culinary United Nations. Here, I sampled fish wrapped in a cassava leave and paw paw salad.

6. Darwin even has its own theme park of sorts. At the relatively new Crocosaurus Cove you can swim with the crocodiles. But don't expect any bloody accidents here. After all, in their “Cage of Death” there is five-inch-thick acrylic between you and the 20-foot-long reptiles.

Other activities include the Sunday pub crawl as well as gallery hopping and checking out the recently renovated waterfront.

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