Navigating your first Oktoberfest trip

For many people I feel like Oktoberfest is kind of a Holy Grail. It is the ultimate beer fest and nothing else really compares. Not that people haven't tried, since once September rolls around, Oktoberfests start popping up all over the place. But now that I have been to the true Oktoberfest (I mean the one in Munich, Germany, of course), I think I can safely say other fests don't compare.

But, how do you make the most of your Oktoberfest trip?

I've put together some tips and suggestions to hopefully help you do just that.

Just like you're doing, before I went to Oktoberfest, I read all sorts of websites and blogs to try and get the inside scoop. I read a lot of helpful things, but I felt like most things I read were more focused on the experienced Oktoberfest goer - the one that would email every tent to get a table reservation, or find local companies that have extra tickets. Honestly, that isn't me. So if you're also feeling that OMG, I'm never going to find a table, I have no idea which tent to go to, there will be too many people.... I think I can help.

Oktoberfest Tip #1 - Go with a small group and go on weekdays

The best way to find a table at Oktoberfest is being there with a small group. We were a group of 4 and almost always found a table and rather quickly. With only 4 people, we could always squeeze into a table, and waitresses were more likely to help us find a table. I promise you'll make plenty of friends once you have a table!

Going on a weekday also significantly increases your chances of getting a table. We did Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday as our fest days, and did some sight seeing on Saturday and Sunday. Sunday evening we did pop back over around 6pm or so, maybe later, and there was also room opening up.


Now, you have a few options here. Most tables are reserved for the evening, these usually start around 5pm. But every tent has some tables that they keep open.

Option 1: Go early and grab a table that isn't reserved in the evening. Plan to stick it out all day. The best thing to do is check with the waitress when you arrive to be sure the table isn't reserved. Normally if you arrive by noon on a weekday you'll be fine finding one of these tables. Honestly, I only recommend doing this one day because it's heavy and you're a bit stuck. We did this on Friday since we figured this would be the busiest day and the hardest to get a table on.

Option 2: Show up later in the day, before 5pm when the reservations kick in. We did this our first night, kind of by accident. But it worked out well. We arrived around 3pm and took a seat at a table that was reserved in the evening. I started talking to the waiter, we gave him a bit of a tip with our first beer order, and when we had to clear out, he told us to hang around. This isn't really an exact science. Just be nice to the waiter, don't expect anything. Ask for advice. A friendly, "Any suggestions for the best way to get a table here later?" Our waiter, Ralph, then kept an eye on the tables where the people didn't show up, and about 30 minutes after the reservation time, he brought us in and gave us the table. We did kind of have to hang around and just keep checking, but it worked out well. Here is where it also helps to have a small group because it'll be easier to find you a spot. I think the tipping helped as well.

Option 3: Get there later in the evening, like around 8pm. This again isn't fool proof, but you just have to give it a try in a few tents. One night when we got there later we tried 3 tents before we found our table. We normally separated into groups of two to search, and normally what we tried was arriving and asking a waitress if they have a table. This time of night can be ideal because the people that have been there all day are getting too drunk and starting to clear out. Or people are moving away from their tables to dance, or wander around, or try a new tent. If waitresses have empty space at their tables they want to fill them. So try asking, linger around the sections, tell them you want to eat food and drink. Again at this time they aren't making as much money because people have filled up on beer so stop ordering. They want new blood so people will order and tip them. And really, don't forget to tip. The older waitresses will just tell you outright, but they're happier if you do it on your own.

Oktoberfest Tip #2 - Dress the part!

This is one time you really want to dress like the locals. I honestly think some of our success on finding a table at Oktoberfest was the combo of being a small group, wearing real lederhosen and dirndls. We didn't look like an obnoxious group of tourists. ;) I promise wearing the traditional Oktoberfest clothing adds to the fun!

Some suggestions for ladies:

Ladies, don't wear costume dirndls. I think almost every website says this, but it's true. The girls doing this stand out. This is not a costume party, people are wearing traditional dress. And while there are now many varieties, lengths of dresses, colors, etc. The super short halloween costumes look really silly and out of place.

Your apron should be the same length as the skirt of your dress, that's one way to know you're buying a legitimate outfit. Also pay attention to which side you tie your apron on.

If you tie your dirndl apron on the left it means you are single and ready to mingle. If you tie the dirndl knot on the right, it means you are taken so not up for flirting.

Now between my friend and I, we probably ordered 6 dirndls and ended up with 1 each, and actually we ended up with nearly identical ones except for the color of the embroidered flowers. There are some nice options, but it really depends on the fit and some just look nicer than others. I recommend ordering a size up as well.

This was what I ended up with: Dirndl Womens 3-Piece Black Midi Dirndl
I liked the midi length, and it fit well. The arms on the shirt were a bit tight, but that was in every dress I tried.
And my friend bought this one:  Dirndl Womens 3-Piece Midi Dirndl with Embroidery

Perfect Oktoberfest outfits. :)

Some suggestions for men:

Men, nearly the same. Buy the real lederhosen, not the fabric green ones with a silly Robin Hood hat. There are plenty of real Bavarian hats to wear. And you can get lederhosen rather cheaply. Also, don't forget the socks! My husband ended up buying socks there because really it seemed to be part of the outfit. Shoes you can be more flexible on. My husband and our friend both wore brown boots, kind of hiking boot styles and that was fine. You don't need to splurge for the traditional shoes if you don't want to. Though of course feel free to do so.


My husband opted for the slightly cheaper option:  Gaudi-leathers Men's Traditional Lederhosen Pants 
We got them from amazon for $69.99 and they worked out great. Nice quality and held up through our time there. This is just the lederhosen though, so you still need a shirt. We didn't buy a specific shirt, just found a plaid one he had in his closet. Our friend that was there found a plaid shirt at Primark that was almost identical to the Oktoberfest shirts.

If you want another good option, our friend ordered these from Amazon and was equally happy: Bavarian Tracht Lederhosen Dark Brown


Oktoberfest Tip #3 - Where to stay

This is a tricky one. But my one recommendation is stay within walking distance. My friend and I are not fans of public transportation after drinking. So that was basically our one requirement. So in the end we ended up in a nice little hotel, the City Apart Hotel in a room with two beds crammed in for 4 people. But you know, if you like the people you're going with, then this was great. It was just a place to crash at the end of the night. And split two ways made it more affordable. The best part about this place was the location. It was half way between the Oktoberfest fair grounds and the center of the city, so easy to walk to both within 10 minutes, and easy to find our way home at night.


So back to basics, the main options are going to be: Hotels, Hostels, AirBnb.

We actually looked at a lot of AirBnBs, but we were trying to book around Christmas time 2015 to go in September 2016 and a lot of them hadn't updated their availability or pricing yet for Oktoberfest so we didn't find anything. We weren't willing to wait and chance that we'd find something better, so just went for a hotel.

There are some great hostels in town. I've stayed at the Euro Youth Hostel years ago (when I was still young and doing hostels), and friends stayed next door at the Wombat Hostel. I would recommend both of those, but it has been a few years.

My top place for searching is Booking.com though I've recently started using Agoda as well, sometimes they have more competitive prices. Between these two sites you'll usually get the best deals, and they have hotels as well as hostels and B&Bs.

Oktoberfest Tip #4 - How much money to bring

There is no exact science to this of course as everyone has completely different spending habits. But you're going to spend money at Oktoberfest. Don't go under the allusion you can be cheap and not buy anything.

One mass of beer (the wonderful 1 liter glass mugs you always see)  ranges from $10 to $14. I think most commonly in the top tents we spent around $12, plus tip. So let's take $13 per mass. If you're like us, you'll probably end up drinking about 3 throughout the evening, maybe two or more if you're really going hard. So you're looking at an average of $39 for beer alone. Food is not outrageous, but it's a festival, it is of course more expensive to eat in a tent. The food is pretty amazing though, so definitely splurge for it. In conclusion, I'd say budget for at least $150 to $200 per day in cash, since you'll need lunch as well, and you'll probably want to try some stuff around the fair as well.

Also just a note about tents - honestly, others have said this, but the best tent is the one you can get into. 

Oktoberfest Tip #5 - What to do when you're not at Oktoberfest

Munich is a pretty awesome city. I've only been twice but have loved it both times and there is plenty to do to keep you busy.

What to do in Munich

1. Visit Marienplatz
2. Wander over to the English Gardens
3. Do a free walking tour (we went on Sandeman's tour and it was cool: http://www.neweuropetours.eu/munich/en/home#)
4. Check out the BMW Museum
5. Visit the Viktualienmarkt right near Marienplatz for a bite to eat and to try out some local foods, fruits, cheese, olives, honey, etc.
6. Create your own pub crawl. All the big German beers have brauhauses in Munich, often near each other. So why not hop from one to the next?
7. Visit the Hofbrauhaus
8. Just wander around and stop to randomly eat and drink. Bavarian food is delicious. And while the beer doesn't compete with Belgian beer, it's not half bad.
9. Take a day trip to Neuschwanstein Castle. Buy your ticket in advance though. Especially if you go during a busy season like Oktoberfest season, because otherwise the wait to get into the castle will be too long. The tickets come with an entrance time, so if you're too late you'll be stuck waiting until late in the day. You can still go up to the castle (walk or by horse carriage, possibly by bus also?) and wander around the outside, which is still pretty neat.

The Perfect Star Wars Christmas Gift for your Nerdy Husband

For couples that have been together a while every year you're expected to come up with ideas for gifts. Gifts for birthdays, anniversaries, and of course Christmas. Now, my husband and I aren't the biggest gift givers. We prefer doing something for birthdays instead of buying gifts. And generally we prefer to save our money for other things (like travel) than buy big gifts. But, Christmas is a bit different (and just around the corner). I like being able to buy a few gifts I know the Hubs will love. (Of course, these Christmas ideas are also for wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, friends too).

I've spent a lot of time on Amazon, Think Geek, and other websites trying to find the right Star Wars themed gift because I know if I want a home run gift for my husband, it should be Star Wars themed. Specifically Darth Vader, because in his opinion Darth Vader is "the perfect villain". So below are my suggestions, I've even included direct links to Amazon so you don't have to search around!

Star Wars T-Shirts are always a winner

You have your funny t-shirts:

Expressions of Darth Vader T-Shirt is one of the Hub's favorites. Can't go wrong here. And if you have kids, the 1 Dad Star Wars T-Shirt is always a winner.

The second favorite shirt is probably the Star Wars Stormtrooper Casual Friday T-Shirt.

Star Wars Socks

This is great for the closet Star Wars fan, because he can wear them hidden and most people will never know of his secret nerdy fanboying. Like these Star Wars Mens Casual Crew Socks.

 

Star Wars Gadets

This Star Wars R2-D2 Measuring Cup Set always cracks me up. The only reason I haven't bought them myself if because my husband doesn't cook and I am much more a Harry Potter fan than Star Wars. But I have a friend that purchased them for her Star Wars loving boyfriend and he loves them. And then, if your spouse is in the kitchen, what is better than a Darth Vader Apron.

Now, this one is definitely more in the splurge category, at $129.00. But it is just so awesome. And even I will admit how adorable BB-8 was in the new movie. So who wouldn't want a BB-8 App Controlled Robot as a Christmas gift? 


A few other random Star Wars Christmas Gift Ideas

I could go on and on so I will wrap up with a few fun extras. 

The Star Wars Darth Vader Self Stirring and Spinning Mug , the Star Wars Band-Aids Assorted 20 Pack (a great stocking stuffer), or the Star Wars Lightsaber Flashlight.

 

Happy Star Wars shopping! If you have some other Star Wars Christmas Ideas for your Husband (or Boyfriend, Girlfriend, Wife), leave them in the comments!

Cologne Christmas Markets - A Beginner's Guide

One of my favorite things about Europe at Christmas is the Christmas Markets, and here I think we have to give credit to the Germans for having the best Christmas Markets. Food, Gluhwein, more Gluhwein. You can't go wrong.

 

For me, visiting a Christmas Market is usually a day trip, so living in Belgium we usually stick to the markets that are close to the border. Normally Aachen and Cologne. Aachen is also a great little market, but definitely smaller than Cologne. If you just have an afternoon though it's worth a visit.

Cologne though is my favorite. They have several markets spread over the city, each with their own unique twist. This year, for the first time, I visited nearly all of them in one day. Be prepared for an exhausting day to do this, otherwise I suggest spreading it over two days.

General Tips:

• Try the Gluhwein. Try the hot chocolate with amaretto. Eat the Bratwurst. Eat the Käsekrainer. Basically just eat and drink all day.
• Bring a plastic bag to save your mugs once you're done drinking your Gluhwein, otherwise you'll end up with sticky mugs in your purse or backpack which can be very unfortunate
• Take a small backpack with you to carry what you buy, otherwise you're stuck carrying around awkward bags in a super crowded are. Just no valuables in the backpack!
• Check out AirBnB for a place to stay if you want to stay over night - the hotels can be rather expensive
• The weather in Cologne is rarely cooporative - dress in layers, bring an umbrella, hat, gloves, earmuffs, whatever you need to stay warm. It's a long day outside at the markets if it is cold
• If you want to save money on parking and avoid driving into the city, try a Park + Ride: http://www.car-parking.eu/germany/cologne/pr

Now, before you decide you want to go to a Christmas Market, especially in Cologne, you should probably gauge your crowd tolerance. I was there with my husband and our best friends - another married couple. I think the two husbands were slowly losing it trying to navigate through the crowds. And by navigate I mean push, squeeze, or simply just wait until you can find a way through. So something to consider if you're going on a weekend, and especially in the more popular markets.

The Markets

The Old Town Market

This was conclusively our favorite market. My husband and I usually try to visit this one, and this year as we introduced our friends to the Cologne markets, they seemed to be in agreement. It is an incredibly charming market.

                 
Why I like it:

• Absolutely charming, gnomes, details, wood carved stands.
• Beautiful crafts. One of my favorite stands is right when you enter the market, it's a huge end stand with mostly candle related objects. I almost always end up buying the handmade glass candle holders. There is also a stand with handcrafted wood items which are absolutely beautiful.
• Great food. Try the potato cake with sour cream dipping sauce. Sinful. 
• The mugs - So every market has their own mugs. Some markets have new mugs each year, or at least new variations on the mugs. At the Old Town market there are always cute little red mugs with gnomes on them. There are 10 variations of the mug, so you can collect different ones each year. 

Cathedral Market

This is without a doubt the biggest market. There are so many stands. Some have beautiful craft work, some have more normal or cheesy items. If you want a singing Santa hat, this is the market you want to visit in Cologne. But there were so many people it limited our visit.


What I like:

• There are so many stands you can certainly find something here for everyone on your list, or just something for yourself
• Also great food here. We had a bowl of mushrooms in garlic sauce, absolutely amazing. Also sausages again. 
• This is right near the shopping center of the street, and close to the Old Town Market. 

Harbour Market

This is the first year we visited the Habour market. It was definitely a bit of a walk from the other markets, but a nice experience. 

Reasons to check it out:

• There is a pirate ship serving drinks
• There was a stand near the chocolate museum with the best socks ever. 
• Indoor craft tent with what seemed to be local handmade crafts
• The mugs were cute and nautical

Gay and Lesbian Christmas Market

This was also the first year we made it to Christmas Avenue, the Gay and Lesbian Christmas Market. By the time we got there we were all a bit cold and tired, but it seemed like a fun time. There were performers singing and lots of groups drinking. Much more a party feel than the other markets. So if you're not frozen I recommend visiting this one at the end of the night.


Why you should go:

• The stands are all decorated in purple in a very fun, non-traditional Christmas style
• Penis waffles
• Tasty burgers
• The music and atmosphere

Angels in the City Market - Neumarket

We didn't visit this year because we really wanted to make it to the habour, but this is another nice market to visit. It also has more solid, charming stands. Nice crafts, good food and drink.

Check out all of the official details, addresses, etc here: Cologne's Tourism Site - Christmas Markets

Have a favorite Christmas market? Share your thoughts in the comments. 

5 travel essentials for the normal woman traveler

Those of you that know me probably are aware of my love or perhaps obsession with traveling. City trips over a long weekend, a week in a new country, two weeks if I can swing it. Any chance to explore somewhere new I'll take. Not always easy when you're balancing a full-time job of course, but I do my best. And thankfully my full-time job is in Europe, so I have those lovely 32 days of vacation each year. And being in Europe, so many places are just a short plane or train ride away.

The more you travel the more you realize there are certain things every girl can't live without (sorry boys but this post is targeted at the ladies). Now, I'm not talking about picking up and going backpacking for 6 months. I've never done it, so I can't give advice on that. My longest backpacking trip was about 3 weeks. But for those of us, the "normal travelers" I'll call us. The ones that don't usually stay in hostels anymore, like to pack light, but want some comfort, and only have limited time but want to pack in as much as possible every day - this is the post for you.

1. These boots were made for walking: the best travel shoes

So first things first. Shoes. If you're like me and my husband, when we travel we go with the idea that we will never visit this place again. It is our one and only chance to do and see everything. So our days starts relatively early, for us at least. We try to be up and out by 9 and then we are gone for the entire day.

Now, as I said, I'm what I call a "normal" traveler. So I'm not roughing it, and part of that means I want to look at least semi-cute or normal in photos and throughout the day. Which means I've stopped wearing my clunky running sneakers when traveling. It's comfy, sure, but it also makes you stick out as not only a tourist, but usually as an American tourist. Then, I do a lot of traveling in Europe, it is not always flip flop weather, and despite what I thought when I was 18, flip flops are not actually easy or comfortable to walk in all day long. Flats, no. Sandals, too flat. So here are my top recommendations for walking shoes.

The Skechers Women's Go Flex are my new love. I call them my pillow shoes. They're cute enough, reasonably priced, and seriously comfortable. Wear them a day or two before setting off on your adventure, but seriously, give them a try. I have the Go Flex, but have also heard good things about the other versions of the Skechers Go Walk.

Boots are a bit hard to recommend directly, it's a but personal. But, my favorite boot brands are Born and La Canadienne. Worth a look if you're looking for new, comfy boots.

2. The bag: the best travel purse

I think we all know a good bag is important when traveling. It needs to be practical enough to carry everything you need for a day, it needs to be secure, and ideally cute. Oh and of course, it needs to be affordable, right? So finding the best travel purse or bag is not easy when looking for all those things. But after lots of searching, lots of traveling with a regular purse and ending up with a sore shoulder after a few hours, I finally found a few options I love.

Now, the Travelon brand I like the best, and I tend to go for a crossbody bag, they are safer, more reliable. Travelon is reasonably priced, cuter than a lot of the bags, and secure enough. I'm about to take my trusty Travelon Anti-Theft Crossbody Bag to Vietnam and Cambodia with me for almost 3 weeks (see photo above). And the little hook keeping the zipper from being opened is already giving me peace of mind. The bag is just the right size to fit everything I need without being too big so that I overfill and get annoyed that it's too heavy. Another fashionable, easy to use option is the Travelon Front-Flap Shoulder Bag. A last, though slightly more expensive option, is the Pacsafe Citysafe Travel Handbag.

3. The best travel converter/adapter

This is an easy one. I've lived abroad for almost 5 years. I still own a laptop, among other things, with a U.S. plug. So I use my converter on a daily basis, then all the traveling of course. Definitely get a converter that has small adapters, that you can just bring that along per country. Not those big chunky ones. I recommend the World Travel Plug Adapter or the Poweradd 2-Outlet International Travel Adapter.

Most things don't need current converters, just a plug adapter. Just a tip: don't bother with straighteners, curling irons, etc. if you're going from the U.S. to Europe. There is a very high chance they will fry. I've killed multiple straighteners over the year. What I recommend, just go somewhere cheap when you get to Europe and buy a cheap straightener. It's better than ruining your nice one from home.

4. Cases!

I highly recommend two things: a passport holder and something waterproof to stick your phone in. The first is because there is nothing worth than being at customs and digging your your passport, or trying to check in while juggling all your bags. Try out the Zoppen Passport Holder. The second is more for your beach vacation, anything with a pool, but lets you keep your phone nearby, take photos, etc, while keeping it dry. I like the ESoulTech Waterproof Phone Case.

5. Your constant companion: the travel pillow

Every girl needs a good travel pillow. Make the investment, it's worth it. I love mine. My husband always teases me about it, he just uses the plane pillow. I like to make a nice nest of my plane pillow, blanket, sweater, and my travel pillow. All essential in achieving economy class comfort. It's also great for buses, trains, anywhere else you might be napping while traveling. I've had a few, memory foam, regular foam, feather, all sorts. I tend to go back to Memory Foam Neck Pillow or the Feathersoft Microfiber Travel Pillow. Really not a fan of the microbead ones, but that's just me.

Bonus item: Kindle!

Because I couldn't leave this one out, but it's more of an extra than an essential. Though I think for me it is a top travel essential.

Look, I love books. I have hundreds of books. My husband has hundred of books. We even buy multiple copies of the same books sometimes just to have all editions or old editions or whatever. So I was hesitant to switch to an e-reader. Until I did. And now I am addicted. I love my kindle. I can download new books anywhere in the world. There is no need to carry heavy books with me, toss them when they're done or lug them around while I'm not using them. With your kindle, it's all in one light-weight bundle. If you're an avid traveler, just do it. You can get English books anywhere in the world. Bonus when you're in foreign countries. I suggest the Kindle Paperwhite, it's the 2nd Kindle I've had and I love it.

Perhaps many of these seem basic, but I really couldn't survive without these things. Happy to help if anyone has questions, especially if it's your first time traveling abroad!

Why Gilmore Girls, why?

Like many people out there, my Gilmore Girls ride has been a bit of a roller coaster. There was laughter, tears, you know, the whole thing. I was a bit late to the bandwagon, getting into it in college with my best friend. We've put on re-runs in the evenings when we were in our dorm. We would steal some of the one-liners, a particular "I can't hate the pathetic" moment still funny years later. 

Like so many other in preparation for A Year in the Life, I binged. I am a rather experienced Netflix binger, but this took things to an entirely new level. I am pretty sure my husband contemplated cancelling Netflix, getting rid of our TV, and moving somewhere without internet because of my Gilmore Girls binging. He has developed a deep hatred for Gilmore Girls, one that resulted in him muting his live stream of American Football and offering to watch a show with me instead of having to listen to as he calls them, "those annoying girls" in the background while watching football.

I've now, finally, after a rather painful journey, have finished A Year in the Life. And I have one burning question: Why Gilmore Girls, why? I. Just. Don't. Understand.

(Spoilers warning)

Rory is still awful. I think most of us in our re-watching have come to this conclusion. I'm not going to go into details of why she was awful in the original show, plenty has been written on that. But, let's look at a few new aspects.

1. Paul. Do I have to say more? Well, obviously I do. I mean, I can get over most of her poor judgement decisions, sleeping with Logan, sleeping with a Wookiee. But just freaking break up with Paul already! It's like she went from bad to worse. I mean she was rather terrible, but she was kind of ALL ABOUT her boy toys. And now she can't even remember she has a boyfriend, let along to break up with him? I figured, sire after Winter, he'd be gone, especially when she's still sleeping with Logan (let's ignore that he's engaged, because honestly it's Logan, did we expect more). And then maybe in Sping, but then in Summer, (or was it the beginning of Fall, honestly the episodes were so long I have no idea) she writes a note still reminding herself to break up with him! What the hell, Rory, what the hell. 
2. I think we're not surprised she's a mess, it kind of makes sense when you think about it. But how did it get this bad? She doesn't seem to care. Where is the super-prepared Rory that freaked out because she had to meet someone at Yale in the wrong outfit and unprepared? She shows up for a crappy website and can't even pitch herself. Unprepared or not, she's got nothing. But then she finds out her beloved local newspaper is going under and she begs to take it back, she even pitches, and she dives in head first. I just don't really understand how as a Yale graduate with a long resume this is all she can manage to put her energy into.
3.  She still is kind of a crappy daughter. Not saying many of us haven't been guilty of some her the same crimes, but the whole premise of the show is their deep unique mother-daughter relationship. But it's all take. She doesn't seem to notice Lorelei is not doing well, going through a rough time. She is lying to her. Again. But yet she goes into details about her Wookiee night? Weird. And then the book. As usual, Rory loses it as soon as she gets told no or her mother say anything other than of course, whatever you want, dear. It's a very one-way street.
4. I don't understand the panic of the newspaper delivery? Why was that so complicated? 
5. And then, going back to point 2. Jes comes in for all of 2 seconds, suggests she writes her own book, gives her the topic, and suddenly her life has meaning again. That's all it took? But she couldn't even find one meaningful thing to say at her interview?

Okay, enough about Rory specifically. I have some other bones to pick.

1. The play. That is 15 minutes of my life I will never get back. If you don't have enough material to fill a 90 minute show make it shorter. 
2. The pool. Since when does Stars Hollow have a pool? We have never seen a pool before. And Luke at the pool? Please. We get it, it's summer. And who are these children that are following them around with umbrellas? Where are their parents. I know it is a small town, but...
3. Again the newspaper delivery issue. When did Stars Hollow get so big? Why was it so complicated? In the town that all came together and put a full buffet out for a cat's funeral, they really couldn't manage to get these newspapers delivered without chaos?
4.  Wild. Unnecessary.
5. The little life or death brigade reunion. Once again we see Logan's charming side, ignoring that he's engaged to someone else. But the way it was filmed. The nice thing about the original Gilmore Girls was even if it was crazy it felt real enough. It wasn't trying to hard. They were dancing around the streets. Walking like they're in a music video. And Logan's little merry band just went off the deep end. Too far Gilmore Girls, too far.

I have more to say. So much more, but I think my Gilmore Girls word vomit is enough. Surely others will jump in and fill the gaps of the other things that are just so wrong with this.

Oh, but one last thing. She's pregnant? Is this a joke? It's Logan's I'm sure, because unless she slept with Dean in the 2 minutes they were together, or Paul (or was it Pete) that she couldn't remember she was dating, it must be his right. Does that relationship really need to get any more complicated? Does she really have to just continue making poor life choices?

Oh, but I did like that they finally said Michel was gay and is married. It was never blatantly mentioned in the original show. Good for Michel.

Diamond Shopping in Antwerp, Belgium

A tricky subject, diamond shopping. One that you can google all sorts of advice about and in the end still feel utterly clueless.

I recently purchased my engagement ring in Antwerp. Before going, I did lots of research. Lots and lots. But it was still hard to find the information that I was really looking for. So this post is to share my experience. First, a few things about me in relation to my diamond shopping experience.

1. I knew very little about diamonds, my fiancee knew even less.
2. We were on a rather modest budget.
3. We wanted a certified diamond. This was a big purchase for us and we wanted it to be authentic.
4. We knew absolutely nothing about diamond certifications.
5. I had a very specific idea in mind about the type of ring I wanted. The ring I purchase is pretty much nothing like my original idea.

Hopefully that gives everyone an idea of where we were coming from going into this shopping expedition. I think we're a rather typical couple buying a ring. We didn't have a big budget, we wanted something nice, and we wanted the experience of being in Antwerp. That said, I didn't want to be ripped off, get an un-certified diamond, so we had to find our balance of quality, authenticity and cost.


Before you go...

Step One:

Do your homework. Doh, that's why most anyone reading this posts is reading it, right? You're doing your homework. The thing with diamond shopping though is you think you know what to look for, but you really don't, unless of course you're a diamond expert.  I did a lot of research on the 4 C's (hopefully if you're reading this you know what they are, I'm not going to explain them in detail in this post, unless it was about my experience). And once I got to Antwerp, the research I did wasn't that helpful. I price checked diamonds with an I color, thinking, oh yeah, everything I read says that a color above J is just fine. I bought an F colored diamond. The jewelers in Antwerp can help you with this, they know it better than you can learn online and seeing the diamonds in person is different than reading about them online.

My suggestion is research the jewelers you want to visit. There are a lot of shady diamond shops in Antwerp, and you don't want to just walk into the first store you see. Find as many reviews on them as you can. At the end I'll give reviews on the ones I visited while I was there. And do some price checking. I recommend www.bluenile.com. Make a chart or something easy to read that gives you a range of carat sizes, color, clarity, etc. and the price you see for that diamond on there.

Step Two:

Set a budget. Or set two budgets. We set one that was our absolute max budget, and then another that we told the jewelers. This gives you a little wiggle room if you see something you love. It also gives you more room to negotiate if you tell them your budget is lower. Also decide if you will pay cash or pay with a credit card. You'll get a better price paying cash, so make that clear to the people you're talking to. Normally this means not paying the 21% VAT.  For my American friends, if they tell you that if you pay credit, you can claim the VAT at the airport and get it back...well, technically it's true. I don't know anyone who has ever gotten it back though, so you're still better off going with cash, in my opinion.

Don't ever discuss your budget wit your partner while in the shops. The sales person will ask what your budget is, tell them a firm number, and that this number includes the diamond and the band. The cost of the band is almost nothing there, because they are more concerned about selling the diamond. Most bands should be around 500 euro if it has diamonds in it, and less if it's just gold (18kt).

Step Three:

Plan your day. If you just have one day, it starts to get exhausting. I made 3 appointments before we went and set 2 hours for each because I had no idea how long they would last. I recommend an hour for each appointment. It also makes it nice that you have other appointments and can tell them, thank you, we'll think about it and walk out without being pressured.

Now, it isn't necessary to make appointments with all of the shops. But if you like having a schedule it helps keep you moving. And you can set in some free time to pop into the shops you don't make appointments with. Though, I recommend going the appointments route, especially if you're traveling to get here. It just guarantees that they have time for you.

When you're there...

Point One:
Take your time. You're the client, don't let anyone pressure you into buying something you don't want to. Diamonds are not rare. We saw so many diamonds that were almost identical in their color, cute, size, etc. In the end we made the decision based on price, feeling comfortable with the person we were buying from, and a diamond combination with a band that we also loved. But seriously, don't let them pressure you, the diamonds will be there, the bands will be there. It is your prerogative to take your time and think about the decision.

Point Two:
Look at loose diamonds. We were informed while we were there that usually the rings you see already set have lower quality diamonds in them. And you can't see the entire diamond, so you never know. This might not always be the case, but in my mind it's better to be safe than sorry. Also, if you're being shown a band you like that doesn't have a diamond in it, have them set a loose stone in it so you can see it together. The look of the ring is completely different with a stone and you might realize that you don't like that style after all.

Point Three:
Ask lots of questions. What is the color, the cut, the polish, the symmetry. Does it have fluorescence? (I didn't even realize this was an issue before we arrived. Apparently you want no fluorescence to very slight). Ask if you can see the diamond outside in natural daylight. If it's a loose diamond that might be harder, but it never hurts to ask.  Ask to see the certificates.

Note on certificates: You want at least a GIA certified diamond. This is the American standard, and the toughest, but also one of the best known. The Antwerp diamond certification is also good. But the benefit of GIA is it has a lasered number on the diamond that you can look up on their website, that shows all the stats of your diamond, and any jeweler anywhere should be able to read it, to ensure you have the right diamond. Make them read the number and you check it on the certificate to make sure it matches.

Point Four:
Take photos of the bands and diamonds that you like. And take notes. My fiancee took notes at each shop, on the prices and stats of the diamonds so we could compare later. And we took photos of the bands on my hand with diamonds in them.

(Obviously I was not thinking about sharing this when I took it. Rogue pinky).

Point Five:
After the last stop of the day, go to a bar, have a drink, and talk about it. You'll probably already know what your decision is, but it makes it easier to sit down and discuss it with your partner. Do you have the same feeling about it? Are you agreed on the price? Maybe you want to do a little more negotiating, so talk about that.

Point Six:
If they don't insist upon this themselves, ask to watch the diamond being set and polished. It might seem silly, but you hear stories of diamonds being switched. This way you know that the diamond you bought is put into the ring. If you can, take it home that day. And another note, the banks close early and the ATMs only let you withdrawal about 600 euro per day. So either have the cash ready, or go to the bank before 4pm.


Reviews

Hearts and Arrows Jewellery
http://www.heartsandarrowsjewellery.com/

This is where we ended up buying our ring. It was one of the two places we did not make an appointment. I hadn't found much information about them, just seen a few nice reviews, so we had some time and stopped in. The man the owns that shop is very nice. Sometimes you get that cheesy salesman vibe, but he never pressured us.  What I really liked is that he showed us a lot of options. He showed us different diamonds without complaint, and he seemed to be listening to what we liked. If we said we liked a certain style, then he showed us others like that. He was conscious of our budget the entire time and gave us some good advice. (I wanted side diamonds, so a lower color makes the ring look more yellow than if it is set on a plain gold band, so we went better color, lower clarity, but still not visible to the naked eye. Also a .80 looks much bigger than a .70, but you can barely tell it apart from a .90). He also designs the bands himself, and had a lot of variety which was important to us. Some of the shops had nice diamonds, but little to no bands, so that helped us make the decision. He'll negotiate a bit. We're terrible negotiators though, so we didn't try that hard, we got a few hundred euro off and could have maybe gotten more, but we were happy with the product and the price, so it was okay by us. He also took us to watch it be set and polished, and had me carry the diamond before hand so I knew it was the one I  bought. The places for the setting and polishing are definitely back offices, and not the nicest, but everyone was friendly enough.

Our Ring:

Geretti
http://www.geretti.be/en/

This was the first place we stopped. Our train got in an hour before our first appointment and again I'd seen some good things, so we popped in. The man was very nice that helped us. He had some nice diamonds. I think the prices he gave us were a bit higher than we saw somewhere else, and a little above our budget. But we didn't end up going back, so I'm not sure if those prices would have come down or not. And they were still reasonable, within the ranges we got from other shops. He didn't put any pressure on us or try to stop us from leaving, and was very interested in what we were looking for and helpful in offering us choices.

Condes Diamonds
http://www.condesdiamonds.be/

I did make an appointment here, though I think you could walk in without an appointment. Honestly, it wasn't my favorite. I'm not sure if our budget was just lower than they wanted. But the woman that helped us, Melissa, I felt like she was a bit uninterested. Her father sells wholesale and brought bands over, though we didn't really find any we really liked. There was a lot of selection and some pretty ones, but just not what we were looking for. And I think since I felt a bit that she wasn't listening to what we liked it made it a bit harder. The prices for the diamonds seemed fair, but the bands were priced much higher than we'd seen at other places. Like I said, if you're buying the diamond, around 500 euro for the band, unless it's something exceptionally extravagant. Also, she didn't have that many diamonds to show us, so it was hard to know when we couldn't see and touch the diamonds. They also kept telling me certain styles were like Tiffany's, which is fine, just I'm not really someone that cares and it felt a bit pushy.

Diamond House
http://www.diamond-house.com/

Rob that runs Diamond House is very knowledgeable and definitely a professional. I think actually the rest of the day we referred to his as "the expert". You need an appointment here, because it's not a store, it's just an office. He did have one very beautiful ring to show us, that was our second choice. I think you're better off here though if you have a bigger budget. They design a lot of rings themselves, and they do have beautiful things. I think a lot of it was just a big above our budget. But it never hurts to look, they were very friendly and helpful. Rob also is the one that changed my mind on style. I had wanted a twisted band and he suggested going with something more classic, because you'll wear it for years and your tastes might change. But a classic ring you'll always love. He was very right. I went with a classic style and I'm so glad I did.

J. Katz Jewellers
http://www.jkatzjewellers.be/

I really liked Joe Katz. He kind of reminded me of a Godfather type figure. He was just this friendly older man who has been in this industry forever. You also need an appointment here. It's in a big building with security, so you have to give an ID to get in. Really, we wanted to buy a diamond from him, just because we really liked him. His prices were good. The only problem was that he had little to no choices for bands, and I'm picky. That was the only reason we didn't buy from him. It seemed better to us to get the band and diamond at the same place, which he agreed on a bit, since he said sometimes if you buy the band somewhere else you don't know if the stone elsewhere will fit it properly. But, I would highly recommend him.

--

I read a lot of reviews about Orsini and Phillipe Harlod also. A lot of the reviews were very mixed and some people seem to have had highly negative experiences, so I avoided going to both of these places. This was a big purchase for us and we just wanted to be on the safe side. Just my thoughts on it.

A note about coming over to Antwerp for diamond shopping. I read a lot of questions about people asking if it's worth it, and yes, it is a neat experience. But, if your budget is less than 5000 euro, I'm not sure it's worth it. If you're over here anyway, then totally give it a go. Or if you have a big budget for the ring and travel, then it's definitely worth it. I live here, so for me it was just a 10 euro, 45 minute train ride, not a $1200 flight. Just food for thought.

My last comment is that, my fiancee and I did pick my ring out together, and I cannot stress enough how happy I am about this. I had mixed feelings before. The typical American thoughts kept sticking with me, that he should pick it out, blah, blah. I remember a friend telling me once that the guy picking the right ring was the last test he was the right guy. Honestly, I think that's a load of crap. I changed my mind the first store we walked into. My fiancee was a trooper in that he took notes, followed me around, listened, asked questions, but he was so lost about most of it. Everything was blurring together. In the end, I picked the ring, with his help, and I'm so happy with the way it turned out. It's the perfect ring, and it was a great experience to have together.

I hope this has been helpful to at least someone. Enjoy the diamond hunting!

Leuven - A Hidden Gem in Belgium: Bars!

I know this is a long time, overdue, but unfortunately life sometimes gets in the way. But here it is! The best bars in Leuven, in my humble opinion. 

Where to drink in Leuven is essential to know. Whether you want to stop at a cafe during the day for a coffee, or find a spot for an after dinner drink or the best place for the evening, Leuven has uncountable options. Thankfully, there are few truly bad options. I've stumbled into a few bars that I'm not as crazy about for various reason... dirty bathrooms, slow service, limited menus. But in a pinch they'll do the job. Below though I'll run through my favorites.

Leuven also has "the longest bar in the world", the Oude Markt (Old Market in English). This is lined on both sides with bars and in the summer when the weather is nice, the best bar is simply the one that still has seats outside. You can tell which ab you're at based on the tables in chairs, each will have a different style than the bar next door. 

Oude Markt 

(Photo Credit: Me)

Ah, and for my American friends, you'll enjoy this...most of the bars don't close. There is no 2 am last call. They seem to just close when they're empty. But seeing people (mostly students) stumbling home at 6 am is not uncommon.

Bars:

1. Metafoor
This bar is located at Parijstraat 34, just behind the Oude Markt. It's a bit more spacious than a lot of the bars and has a good drink selection. Also, if your party has smokers, there is an indoor, closed smoking room. I'm not a smoker, and really can't stand cigarette smoke, but this room has never bothered me, the smoke doesn't escape and you don't notice it much. 

2. Fiere Margriet
Ah now, this is a fun bar. It's small though so you need to get there at the right time to get a table. There is a little standing room at the bar. In all the times I have been there, I have never seen the place empty. When you go in you'll find binders on the tables full of hundreds of Belgian beers. You'll find ones you know, ones you've never heard of. It's always fun to try something new though. The options are plentiful and delicious.


3. De Rector
You'll find this when you enter the Oude Markt on your left side (when you enter from the direction of the Groote Markt). It's one of the bigger bars on the Oude Markt. It's great for big groups for an afternoon drink and they have a lot of space outside as well, so it's normally possible to find a table. Their food isn't bad either for a snack. At night they usually have a DJ and inside gets pretty loud, so if you're looking for music it's a good spot, if you want to talk with friends, it's better to relocate somewhere quieter after a certain hour.

4. Seven Oaks
Every town needs to have "that" bar. The one that nights end at and it's normally a bit of a slop show by the time you arrive, not necessarily for you, but at least for everyone else. ;) In Leuven, that is the Seven Oaks. Thursday nights it's packed, but sometimes not until 1 am. There is normally music and  crazy drinking game involving a tree stump, hammers and nails. You'll find it at Hanengan 3, a small street off Tiensestraat.

5. The Professor
It's a great cocktail bar. If you want something besides beer and want lots of delicious options. This is a good spot. It's right on Naamsestraat, near the Oude Markt. They also have tasty alcoholic milkshakes.

6. Stapletons
A quintessential Irish pub. It's just off Naamsestraat, two doors down from Namaste, the Nepalese restaurant. It's a great place to go watch sports, with TVs all around. It'll usually show all the big football (soccer) games and rugby. That's what I've seen there at least, I'm sure you'll find other things as well. And it's a good place for a pint of Guinness.   

Happy drinking!