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Quick Guide to Christmas Markets in Poland

Every season as November turns into December, the central squares in many Polish cities are transformed into cozy outdoor Christmas markets (Jarmak Bozonarodzeniowy). Dozens of vendors sell locally-made sausages, cheese, honey and crafts from behind wooden stalls, and Christmas trees taller than most of the surrounding buildings become the focal point of the squares.

Christmas markets originated in the Germanic-speaking regions of Europe during the Middle Ages; however, the tradition has been assimilated and adapted into Polish Christmas culture.

The markets are one of the best places to find the products and ingredients central to a traditional Polish Christmas dinner. Carp, bought fresh (and sometimes live) so the scales can be dried and kept for luck, is the main Christmas Eve dish in Poland. And oplatki, thin wafers which are broken and shared as a symbol of family and friendship, are sold alongside traditional Polish staples like kielbasa and pierogi.

The main market square in Warsaw hosts the biggest Christmas market in Poland. With a focus on regional products, the program also includes live musical performances throughout the month of December. Another major market is held in Krakow. Thousands of lights illuminate one of the only major medieval town squares in Poland that resisted destruction during the Second World War.

If you’re in southwest Poland in December, head over to Wroclaw; the market in the former German city includes an outdoor stage with live musical and dance performances. Or, head north to the Christmas market in Gdansk and spend the holiday on the coast. Smaller markets are held in the secondary cities of Torun and Lodz as well.

Mulled wine (grzaniec), the most popular element of Polish Christmas markets, can be found in the central stalls. The warm mugs, wafting scents of cloves and cinnamon, are a great way to thaw frozen hands on a chilly December evening.

Jenna Makowski is a freelance writer who seeks experiential and local travel. She blogs at http://jennagmakowski.com/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How to Eat like a Local in Antalya

 The cuisine of Antalya, the capital of the Turkish Mediterranean, is just what you'd expect: fresh whole fish, vegetables and fruits are the main events. The standard Turkish dish of Shish Kebap (cubes of lamb), doner (thin sliced pressed and seasoned lamb)and kofte (grilled meatbslls) are widely available, but they're not the specialty of the region. You can order the local fish, levrek (sea bass) or cipura (sea bream) in many places, including the simple bar/restaurants at Baki beach. But for the best quality head to your neighborhood Balik Evi (fish house) , where you can see the fresh fish on display and pick out the one that looks good to you. At the Balik Evi you can get the usual vegetable mezes, but you should take this opportunity to start with some tender fried calamari or the local specialty, stuffed mussels. The mussels are stuffed in their shells with seasoned rice. They tend to be a bit on the spicy side for my taste, but I've been called a " wimp" in this regard, so try at least one. They're usually sold for 50 kurus (about 30 cents) a piece. The traditional beverage to drink with fish is Raki, Turkey”s anisette flavored spirit. It's served with water to dilute it, and I'd recommend diluting it a lot. But come to think of it, I'm a wimp in this regard as well. Another option is to go for the local beer, Efes, which is a perfectly respectable lager. Of course the most authentic (and economic) way to eat the freshest food is to buy it at your local pazaar, the weekly market where farmers sell their produce. Buy a variety of beautiful greens and some tomatoes for a salad, and pick out a fish from the cheerful guy selling them. He'll clean and scale it for you, and all you have to do is throw it in the oven. A side dish can be a saute of zucchini and eggplant, or you could make some zeytinyagli fasulye, green beans cooked with tomato, onion, garlic and olive oil. As a starch you can try the fresh noodles , or fry up some tasty potatoes. Both are as authentic as the rice you get with most of your kebap orders. For dessert, buy some fresh figs and serve them with yoghurt and a little honey drizzled on top. Delicious and nutritious!

About the Author
Ellen Rabiner has been writing about travel since her teenage years on the road as a violist in a youth orchestra. After college her focus shifted to singing, although she did some creative writing as a lawyer in Los Angeles. She returned home to New York as a soloist at the Metropolitan Opera and resumed traveling as a guest artist with opera companies around the world. She is currently traveling and writing from her home in Antalya, Turkey. Follow her blog Talking Turkey.

Woman vs. Guinness: Sampling some of the best beer Portland, ME has to offer

by Lindsay Carreiro from travelinglinds.com

It started off as any other weekend road trip to Portland, ME.  However once on the road with my boyfriend Mike we quickly decided that this road trip needed a "theme".  What kind of theme do you pick for Portland?  Then I started thinking what some of our favorite places and things to do in Portland were and then it hit me, BEER! Yes Portland is known for having some great micro-breweries with some outstanding bars to boot.  Thats how the "Great Beer Challenge of Portland, ME" began.  Here were the rules:

Rule #1 Visit 5 bars in Portland, ME
Rule #2 Try at least 1 different beer in each bar
Bonus Challenge: Finish a pint of Guinness

Now that the rules where in place it was time to get drinking! We started off at the Great Lost Bear bar right outside downtown Portland. This was the perfect place to start.  With such an extensive beer menu I decided to order what is called a flight of beers, a tasting of 5 beers in 5oz glasses of my choice.

My favorite beer from that flight was the St. John Tropical Mango.  It is a light, fruity beer that is easy to drink.

After getting a late start on Sunday we finally arrived at our 2nd bar in this challenge called Gritty McDuffs which among of the rest of the bars I visited on Sunday is in downtown Portland.  Since Gritty's is a mirco-brewery it was the perfect stop, while sitting at the bar I decided to try their Vacationland Summer Ale.  It was bitter and not as light as I thought it would be. Time was ticking so to finish up the next three bars we had to hurry.  Our 3rd stop was to a bar called Bull Feeny's where I tried Allagash While Ale.  This beer was great and little did I know it would be the best beer I would drink all day. The 4th stop was a bar for the beer aficionado called Novare Res Beer Cafe where I sampled a De Halve Maan which was a blonde, fruity ale, good for drinking in the summer, a Beligum style.  However I was getting very full and only drank a few sips. It was now time for my last stop which meant it was time to drink a whole pint of Guinnesss.  Our 5th and last stop was to Brian Boru an Irish bar in Portland, it seemed perfect.  After ordering my Guinness and relaizing just how full I was I attempted to drink the whole pint.  After getting about 1/4 of the way in I realized that the Guinness was winning in this challenge.  I was too full after a day of drinking nothing but beer to finish this pint of Guinness.

Very sadly I threw in the towel and called it quits. Guinness very simply put is gross to me, it has the two worst tastes in the world mixed together, bitterness and hops.  However that is what a challenge is all about and in this great beer challenge of Portland, ME I have come out a very open minded beer drinker.

Top Ten Affordable Atlanta Restaurants

Please welcome today's guest blogger, Caroline Eubanks, from carolineinthecityblog.com...

There are a lot of well-known restaurants in Atlanta. You've probably read about them in Food + Wine or heard of the chefs on Top Chef. Rathbun's, Canoe, Woodfire Grill, Atlanta Fish Market. But are these the types of restaurants that everyday people can afford? Not me. My favorite restaurants are the ones locals go to on their night off. Atlanta is full of these types of establishments (not to mention amazing ethnic food, which is another list in itself). Here are a few favorites from an Atlanta native:

The Varsity: The Big V is something you can't miss when driving into downtown Atlanta, right next to the 1996 Olympic Torch. It's where everyone from Atlanta Braves fans to drunk Georgia Tech students to tourists to bands looking for greasy food after a late night gig go for hot dogs, hamburgers, fries and classic items like a Frozen Orange. This institution has been open since the 1920s and is known as the world's largest drive in. There are still carhops who deliver your food if you opt for drive in service.

Gladys Knight and Ron Winan's Chicken & Waffles: Yes, we are talking about that Gladys Knight. If you think chicken and waffles is an odd combination, this place will make you a believer. The Midnight Train is the preferred entree, but there are also other breakfast options, as well as traditional Southern fare. My family swears by the fried corn, but I only have eyes for waffles.

Fellini's: I love this pizza joint for a multitude of reasons, mostly because it is cheap and you can find it on nearly every block in Atlanta, much like Starbucks. You can get your pie by the slice with any topping you can think of. Calzones and salads are also available, along with a great beer selection.

La Fonda Latina: La Fonda is Fellini's Hispanic sister, usually right next door in fact, and has delicious Mexican, Spanish and Cuban food for great prices. I am a huge fan of the fish tacos and a big margarita to wash it down with.

The Vortex: The Vortex definitely isn't for everyone. If you aren't comfortable with the sarcastic, tattooed biker crowd, you may not love this place, but you won't find better burgers anywhere in town. The Double Bypass is the most infamous, comprised of a huge patty, two fried eggs, six slices of American cheese, eight slices of bacon and placed between two grilled cheese sandwiches. Note that no one under 18 is allowed due to the Georgia Smoking Act.

The Flying Biscuit: What started as a Midtown staple is now a local chain, but still has some of the best grits at any time of day. Breakfast is the specialty, especially the Flying Biscuits, served with cranberry apple butter.

Flip: If you remember Richard Blais from the Chicago season of Top Chef, you are familiar with his love for molecular gastronomy. He brings that into his newest restaurant concept, complete with wacky burgers and milkshakes in an updated diner theme.

Manuel's Tavern: Manuel's is known as Atlanta's favorite neighborhood bar and I couldn't agree more. Not only are the drinks cheap and the selection great, but the food is well above bar food standards. Owner Manuel Maloof was a political legend in his day and left his mark on the area.

Six Feet Under: Although the name sounds slightly morbid, this Reynoldstown seafood restaurant, located next to Oakland Cemetery, has great seafood for a landlocked city. You can order anything from shrimp to oysters to mussels to clams to crabs. Sit up on the roof for a view of the spooky cemetery.

Everybody's Pizza: Another local favorite pizza spot, this one is frequented by Virginia Highlands residents. The pizza crisps are delicious thin crust pizzas with specialty toppings. Also try the pasta, sandwiches and salads. 

Christmas Around the World

Around the world Christmas is celebrated with unique local culture and traditions. Whether you choose to celebrate Pere Noel in France or be part of the Sheng Dan Jieh in China, we invite you to learn more about this worldwide celebration.

Christmas in Australia

 

It is summer in Australia during the Christmas season and hence many of the country's festivities take place outdoors. The most popular event of the Christmas season is called Carols by Candlelight. People come together at night to light candles and sing Christmas carols outside.

Christmas in China

 

China may not be primarily a Christian country, but that does does not dampen the Christmas spirit for those who celebrate Sheng Dan Jieh, which means Holy Birth Festival. People decorate their homes with evergreens, posters, and bright paper chains. Families put up a Christmas tree, called a "tree of light," and decorate it with beautiful lanterns, flowers, and red paper chains that symbolize happiness.

Christmas in France

 

Christmas celebrations in France don't wait till December 25th but actually begin on December 5, known as St. Nicholas Eve. However, the grandest celebration is on Christmas Eve when families go to church and then enjoy an abundant feast of wonderful dishes, ending with the traditional Buche de Noel. Church bells ring and voices sing French carols, called noels. Little children anxiously await the arrival of Pere Noel, rather than Santa Claus!

Christmas in Denmark

 

In Denmark, Christmas Eve is called Juleaften and is the biggest occasion of the year. Parties go on all night, with traditional prune-stuffed roast goose, red cabbage, fried pastries, and cinnamon-laced rice pudding called Grod, a special rice pudding in which a single almond is hidden. Whoever finds the almond will have good luck for the coming year. Christmas in Denmark is supposed to be when a mischievous elf called Nisse has his fun. The Christmas elves called Julenisse are appeased with rice pudding, and dishes of seeds are placed outdoors for wild birds.

Christmas in Netherlands

 

For most children in Netherlands, the most important day during the Christmas Celebrations is 5th December, when Sinterklass brings them their presents. St. Nicholas' Day is on the 6th of December, but in Netherlands, the major celebrations are held on the 5th of December. The name Santa Claus comes from the name Sinterklass. Families celebrate St. Nicholas Eve at home with lots of good food, hot chocolate, and a letterbanket, a "letter cake" made in the shape of the first letter of the family's last name.

Breakfast in the Big Apple

Ever craved for an omelet for lunch and pancakes for dinner? If you answer to this question was "yes" and in case you are travelling to New York you perhaps do not have wait till the breakfast is served.

These amazing restaurants in New York understand your crave and serve you breakfast all through the day.

Permanent Brunch
Add: 95 First Avenue (Between 5^th and 6^th), New York, NY 10009

You don’t have to guess what it serves. The name says it all. The entire menu at this Lesly Bernard’s restaurant is about breakfast foods. It always feels like being at the breakfast table while you are at the Permanent Brunch. From starters like Ronnybrook yogurt with fresh fruit & honey to entrees ranging from steak and eggs to Buttermilk Pancakes, the breakfast time never ends at Permanent Brunch. To finish it off you can try the Daily Doughnut or a glass of Coffee Milkshake and Fudge Brownie.

Cafeteria
119 7th Avenue, New York, NY 10011

The restaurant opened up in 1997 with an idea of a place that would serve well prepared American Cuisine with a great ambience and to have it all available for guests 24 hours a day. Not only is it open 24/7, but breakfast is always served. So whether you crave for Pancakes or choose to Build Your Own Omelets, Cafeteria is the perfect choice for you. With a menu boasting of variety like Chicken Fried Steak, Cobb Salad, Mac Attack, Monterey Eggs, the options to choose from at Cafeteria are endless.

Cafe Gitane
242 Mott Street, Manhattan, New York, NY 10012

New York's Mott Street is home to Cafe Gitane, a French-Moroccan restaurant which has gained its popularity amongst the food lovers for its delicious breakfast foods and French-Moroccan classics. Visitors to the restaurant can enjoy a huge variety ranging from Baked eggs with smoked salmon, potatoes and cream to Baked feta and a mix of olives and orange slices with crusty bread until midnight every day of the week.

Yorkville Restaurant
242 E 79th Street (Between 2nd & 3rd), New York 10075

Boasting of commitment to treat people the right way and feeding them great food until they can eat no more, The Yorkville restaurant offers a sumptuous range of breakfast delicacies. The range of omelet’s from the simple cheese to the avocado, turkey breast & Swiss 3 eggs is simple amazing. If you are craving for pancakes they have more than a dozen varieties of pancakes on their menu card.

With the information about these restaurants it’s time to be a rebel and eat what you want and when you want.

Best Bar Food in New York City

Every beer drinker has that alarming epiphany after they wake up with a pounding headache and a full-fledged hangover, they’ll wonder why they hurt until they answer that straight forward question, did you eat anything last night? They’ll probably say, "I will never drink on an empty stomach again" (I know I have). In an effort to prevent those hangovers, I’ve compiled a list of some of the best bars that not only have food but quality, tasty food that won’t help the alcoholic beverages make you puke just a little faster.

McKenna’s Pub: Located on 245 West 14^th Street, between 7^th and 8^th Avenue.

It boasts a long line of draft beers to go a long with tasty menu that ranges from chicken fingers to steak sandwiches. You can get a hot dog with your beer or maybe just a plate of fries. Whatever your desires may be the McKenna’s Pub can probably meet them. It’s got an extensive happy hour and low prices on domestic bottled beers. I do recommend though, staying away from the Steak sandwich.

St. Mark’s Ale House: Located on 2 St. Marks Place.

This sports bar also boasts a long line of draft beers and plenty of TV’s to catch your favorite sports teams. The menu is quite long and quite tasty. You can get a giant plate of nachos with your beer or plump, juicy burger. The menu is a little bit on the expensive side but it’s worth it. The last thing you want to go through is a stomach ache before a night of drinking. I would recommend the chicken tenders. They’re crispy and juicy. They come with a tangy sauce that makes the beer drinking experience even better.

The Pizza Pub: Located on 294 Third Avenue.

Well the name says it all. Not only can you find your favorite beers at this place but you’ll get pizza along with it. It’s better than average pizza and you can get a free slice with every shot that you order. There is a good chance that you could last until closing time if you make this your first stop. You can get a whole pie and a pitcher of beer for just $22. A large pie in New York alone could range up to $15 bucks, if not more. Check this place out.

Art Bar: Located on 52 8^th Avenue.

The crowd is a little more subdued here but the food taste great. The nachos are tasty and there is a Chicken sandwich with herb mayo that simply hits the spot. If you’re not much of beer drinker than definitely go to this place, it’s got quite an assortment of house wines that are on happy hour specials from around 4 to 7 p.m.

Flight 151: Located on 151 8^th Avenue.

This bar should be considered more of a restaurant. The food is a little more gourmet, offering many heavy dishes such as steak, fish, and potato related plates. They do have a happy hour so it could be great spot for a quick dinner out of work before you head to your night plans.

Stick to these places, it’ll help you wake up a little easier the next day after a night of drinking.

Affordable Live Music in New York City

A lot of times the bar scene can get quite redundant. After a long night at the bar, the average music lover can easily spend around 5 to 10 bucks on playing music in the bar’s jukebox.

No one has time to research free music venues, so here is a list of some free and affordable places to find live music. Some of the places are bars with a music stage, others are music venues with a bar but they all serve your pockets well.

Located on 538 East 14^th Street is Otto’s Shrunken Head - http://www.ottosshrunkenhead.com/

It’s a tiny place but you if you’re looking for a real feel of New York, you’ll find it here. Not only do you get cheap beer, you always get free music. There is no cover charge to enter the bar that has a music stage in the back of it. Every night you can experience a different type of music for hours. The place has multiple sets throughout the night, showcasing local artists who are just getting a break from their day job.

Cover Charge: None

Rockwood Music Hall - http://www.rockwoodmusichall.com/

Rockwood Music Hall is located on 196 Allen Street in the lower east side. There is never a cover charge and if you get there early enough than you can see around five to six artists per day. They only play an hour set. It’s a small venue so I suggest you get there early if you’re planning on seeing one of the later shows. Sometimes you’ll get to see a big artist, such as the likes of Norah Jones (in which case, get there when it opens or pay the consequences of a denied entry).

Cover Charge: None

Lakeside Lounge - http://www.lakesidelounge.com/

Lakeside Lounge is a perfect place to escape the college crowd as well any, if not all of the tourists. Located on 162 Avenue B, you’ll find real New Yorkers looking to save a buck while they’re out on the town. There is no cover charge and the beers are affordable. There is a back room so you’ll have to make right-turn if you to find some quality gritty hard-rock sounds of the city.

Cover Charge: None

The Red Lion - http://www.redlionnyc.com/

The Red Lion can be found on 151 Bleecker Street. You can get music there every night of the week. There are three sets during the evening and you can even order some quality cuisine while you’re in the building. They have salads, sliders, chicken tenders and much more for average prices. The seating area is spread out so you don’t feel like people are sitting on top of you. However, there are some tables with an obscured view of the music stage. So if live music is your prime objective, make sure to try and get there around seven or eight. Another downside to this place is they actually do ask for a cover.

Cover Charge: $7 (starts at 7 p.m.)

The Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza – No website

This venue is a little bit on the pricy side compared to the aforementioned live music places. However for what it costs, you’re probably going to get a bigger show at the venue on 17 Irving Place. It’s a venue that hosted the likes of many famous bands. Tickets range around $10 to $40 depending on the musical artist but it beats seeing a show at Madison Square Garden for over 100 bucks. Irving Plaza is small but spacious venue without a bad spot in the place. You get a good view of the live show from any where you’re standing.

Cover Charge (ticket prices): Varies from $10 to $40

After going to a couple of these places, you’ll forget about Madison Square Garden in no time.

Oktoberfest

If its September, it must be Oktoberfest!

Be sure to visit the CheapOair Cheap Flights blog today to read up on Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany! And check out these great deals to Munich today!

Currently CheapOair is offering fare sales to Munich for a limited time only, take advantage of these special offers by booking now.

Limited Seats, Book Flights to Munich today! Hurry, Book by September 11, 2009 Travel must be completed by December 31, 2009

Washington	Munich	$479
San Francisco	Munich	$479
Denver	Munich	$479
New York	Munich	$482

Foodie Friday- Traditional Romanian Foods

Eastern Europe is home to many foods that most Americans will sadly never discover. A few years ago while traveling through Eastern Europe, I had the opportunity to discover two ethnic Romanian foods that I still daydream about today. (And have attempted to recreate at home from time to time.)

Let's start with dessert! One of those wonderful foods is the Romanian dessert known as papanasi (pronounced "papa-nosh"). Papanasi is essentially a donut (without a hole, similar to an American cream-filled donut) filled with the Romanian version of cottage cheese (to Americans this is more of a tangy cream cheese. It is not the curds that Americans associate with cottage cheese.), topped with fruit reserves and a sour cream (again, not the American version of American sour cream). In other words, it is a fluffy, deep fried sweet bready pastry, filled with sweet cream, topped with a tangy, sugary cream, covered in fruit.

If you need an American food to compare it to, imagine a bostom cream filled donut, hot and fresh, covered in hot vanilla frosting, with pie filling on top.

It's divine.

 

My other favorite food is called sarmale (pronounced "sahr- MAWL- ay"). Essentially it is cooked cabbage leaves stuffed with spiced rice and meats. A distant cousin of this delicacy would be Greek grape leaves on a much larger scale. Grape leaves are more of a finger food, sarmale requires a knife and fork. The pickled cabbage leaves give it a vinegary, or sour or bitter taste, but the spiced minced meats give it a much richer and deeper taste. It is a very filling and heavy meal. And I couldn't get enough of it. In spite of how heavy sarmale felt, I couldn't help but notice how the sweetness of papanasi was the perfect follow up to the enjoyable pickled taste of sarmale!