Notourguideneeded

Beware of the man with the rollerblades…

June 2, 2016 by Notourguideneeded Leave a Comment

My hubs and I both like to take photos. I am more of an “oh look, click, let’s go, maybe it turned out okay”. He is much more methodical, taking his time and getting the best shot.

We were in Paris walking around. Both of us have been known to piss people off by taking photos of them, their dog, their shoes, etc. We weren’t doing any of this. Just minding our own business discussing where to get a bite to eat.

And then he saw us.

I am not sure if he was homeless, on the way there, or just really eccentric. For some reason he thought we were taking a photo of him. Shit got real, quick.

Normally people just look at you with distaste. They’ll get over it.

I have never been assaulted with French the way this man screamed at us. “Do not take my photo!” “No photo” “No camera”. Since we were not taking pictures, we were a little perplexed. I would except this of the woman whose dog was in a baby cart and I had to film it…. but first the guy was not doing anything that warranted a photo and second, we weren’t taking photos.

So the guy is screaming and wailing his hands around. And then we both see it…..

He is in roller-blades. As he comes toward us he stops. Sits down, continues screaming “no photo”. Then he looks down and realizes he needs to tie his skates. We quickly retreated.

But the guy taught me a lesson. I never really cared if you wanted your pic taken or not. Now, if you are screaming in roller-blades, I think I’ll check to see if your laces are tied first.

A little wine goes a long way…

May 27, 2016 by Notourguideneeded 2 Comments

I have a problem.

Every trip my hubs and I take usually involves some sort of having wine. And this wine usually is at the beginning of the day or the trip. Never at the end of an evening where I can blame the prior glass (um, bottle).

Never fails. We will be sitting there having a nice time. For some reason my hand lifts up and throws the wine his way. No reason. I just knock it over. Right on top of him.

A few years ago I almost ruined his brand new shirt. This trip it went all over his pants, hoodie, everything.

Am I nervous? Surely not. I have been with him for 8 years now. There is nothing to be nervous about.

It always happens when we are in secluded places too. Never really in a crowded restaurant or somewhere that I can blame others.

Yesterday was the same. Quite place. People watching. Hey, what’s that, oh haven’t spilled wine lately. Bam! Wine everywhere.

Perhaps the universe is telling me to start drinking white rather than red. 🙂

On a completely unrelated topic, we did visit the wine museum in Paris. If you haven’t been I suggest you add this little token to your list. It only take about 30 minutes and is quite good. I have been to vineyards and still learned a bit about making wine. Here is the link: Wine Museum

Peace and love.

Other Travel Blogs and Sites that I recommend…

May 15, 2016 by Notourguideneeded

Here are some travel blogs that I have found helpful from other bloggers and websites.

Enjoy reading these sites (not in any particular order):

If you want to be added to this list, please send me an email: NoTourGuideNeeded@gmail.com

Let’s discuss the Pizza situation in NYC

May 12, 2016 by Notourguideneeded 3 Comments

Pizza in NYC by the slice doesn’t get much better.

I have had pizza in several different countries. While they are all the basic foundation things: some sort of dough plus a topping, they can be drastically different in different countries, different cities, even different blocks within a city.

As our cultures melt into one big mess, it is hard to say what is true NY pizza, verses the pizzas you find in other parts of the world. So many cultures have influenced the NY pizza that you can get almost anything. Chicago has the deep dish, but even there you can get thin crust. California pizzas have veggies on them but even there you can find any topping you want.

So, I went in search of the best NYC pizzas. Now, before you jump down to see if your favorite place is on the list, remember these are MY favorite.

And before we get to my list, I want to start off by saying that the 99cent pizza is good. Very good after a long evening. Even better if you have just paid your rent. But this isn’t about good cheap pizza. This is about pizza that I crave as I sit in my kitchen 2000 miles away. This is about pizza that you really cannot get anywhere else.

(not in any real order other than to tell my story)

Nizza on 9 and 44th.

When I go to New York, this is where I eat. The pizza is wonderful and the atmosphere is warm and cozy. Ask for the bread and it comes out lightly salted with some oil. The calamari (because the pizza takes a while to cook) is fried with slices of lemon. (my mouth is watering just thinking about it).

Favorite pizza – Piccante, switching the sausage out for pepperoni. (YUM)

Lombardis – Spring & Mott

Lombardis will be on most tourist lists. It is historical as it became the America’s first pizza place when it was licensed by NY in 1905. The pizza here is good. They cook it in an oven that turns the crust crispy on the bottom and you probably will have some parts slightly burnt.. yum! This is not the fold in half kind of pizza. This pizza is hot, simple and delish!

The wait is usually long, although they did expand awhile back.

Very casual. Only takes cash.

RubirosaNYC – On Mulberry between Spring and Prince

The hubs and I were in the mood for pizza but the big places all had an hour wait. We stepped into this little place and spent the whole afternoon there. The best attraction (besides sitting at the bar and talking to the bartender) was that we had pizza by the slice. This means variety. However, I could have easily had anything in a whole pie. The place is cozy, and they have more than pizza. We ended our meal with cannoli. Good grief.

Serafina Fabulous Pizza, 79^th and Madison

We again stumbled into this fabulous restaurant while wandering around. This place was full of locals. Families were getting together here. A few tourists, but really felt like I was eating in New York. The people that work there were great and the food was excellent.

Famous Famigilia – they are everywhere. It is also in the airport.

However, they are still good. And easy to find. So, if you find yourself starving while walking around, you can bet this will be a good stop. They used to be small, opening their first store in 1986. They now are world wide. They are still good.

What are your favorite places to grab some pizza? I would love to try something new next time I am there! Add in comments below..

Top 7 things to Remember when Traveling During the Rain

May 8, 2016 by Notourguideneeded Leave a Comment

Arriving and it starts to Rain

Top 7 things to Remember when Traveling During the Rain

The chances are great that if you travel enough you will arrive somewhere and it will start to rain. Do not let that get you down. I’ve put together my top things I wish I knew early on during traveling.

This past spring we arrived into NYC and the city was raining and wet. I can’t decide if it is cleaner as the dirt and grime is being washed away OR is it dirtier because the dirt is just being diluted. I see young women who clearly are on vacation walking around wearing sandals. It is cold and wet. What are they thinking? And the sandals aren’t even cute. Not that I am always functional over fashion but the sandals really get to me.

What do we do?

Just remember that really nothing stops when it rains. The people just use umbrellas but everyone is still out and about. I have noticed through my travels that this isn’t exclusive to NYC – most major cities don’t stop.

If it were my first time in the city and it was raining, these are some things that I’d want to know:

1. Hotels have umbrellas. Ask the door guy or the front desk. They give them to you to use and just ask for them back. Don’t pack them. If your hotel is out, just go to the next hotel and ask for one. They rarely ask if you are guest.

2. Wear boots or water proof shoes. There are puddles everywhere. The streets are very gross. The water is not clear. You will get wet.

3. When you go into a place, most of them have bag stands. Stick your umbrella in there and it wraps the umbrella in plastic to keep the inside dry.

4. I take my rain coat with me anywhere I go that has a chance of rain. REI has several and mine is the REI brand. It can be rolled up tightly so it takes up minimal space.

5. There are tons of things to do that rain doesn’t matter: museums are the big one. The Natural Science Museum is always good and can take you a full day.

6. Remember the subways are underground and are a good way to navigate. They will be more crowded than usual, so plan for that.

7. If it is not really hot (like August hot) then it will help you to have a scarf. The wind hits just right and the water can be annoying. I recommend a light scarf that you can wash when you get home.

(On a side note, it is always good to have a scarf with you regardless. You never know when you will be cold, spill on your shirt, or need something to sit on. Plus, if you are worried about your outfits looking the same in each photo, a scarf can change it up).

Don’t let a little rain stop you. The New Yorkers don’t. And when in New York, or wherever you are, do as they do.

Beware of the man with the rollerblades…

A little wine goes a long way…

Other Travel Blogs and Sites that I recommend…