Osaka is quirky, colorful, and loud, like a Japanese game show come to life. (If you haven’t watched one, head over to YouTube to see what you’re missing.) Osaka is also Japan’s reigning food capital, making it an awesome destination for first-time visitors. This Osaka travel and food guide provides an introduction to some of […]
World Markets
7 Reasons You Should Visit Cleveland Right Now
Cleveland, Ohio has a bit of a bad rap. In 1969, the heavily polluted Cuyahoga River running through downtown Cleveland caught fire and Time Magazine published a photo of the flames engulfing a ship. This was followed by a major economic recession in the 1970s and 1980s. The factories closed, unemployment rates soared and there […]
Snapshot: Cleveland’s West Side Market
Whenever I travel to a new city, I like to visit the market to get a taste of the local culture. This is easy enough in Europe and Asia, where nearly every town has a market. I’ve sampled fresh honey in Portugal, cured meats in Madrid and langos in Budapest; bahn mi in Vietnam, miso katsu […]
36 Hours in Tokyo
I’ve been to Tokyo three times and still feel like I’ve barely plumbed its cultural depths. My first visit was in 2005, and while I checked off a lot of tourist attractions, I was an inexperienced traveler and didn’t have the same appreciation for the region I do now. My second visit was in seven […]
China Couture: Having Clothes Made in Shanghai
Shopping in Shanghai can be surprisingly limited for those with a mid-range budget and Western tastes and sizes. Chinese boutiques are plentiful but are often stocked with a dizzying array of animal prints and sequins, not to mention the petite non-Western sizes. High-end global brands such as Prada and Gucci are well-represented and the city […]