L.A. California

California, L.A. The high life. Where the rich and the beautiful live their charmed lives. Its legacy had always been spoken about, dreamt of, caught on film, captured in books Recently shot to fame (again) by the O.C. and MTV's Laguna Beach. Phantom Planet puts an eternal image to this sunkissed city with their song, California. Just when you wonder, what's its allure? California, here we come!



First off, give yourself a nick-name!
Conan the Barbarian

Which is the most unforgettable city you’ve travelled to?
Los Angeles, California

Why?
The air, attractions, nightlife – especially the music and nightclubs, shopping, food, people watching. All of that was wonderful. Plenty of things to do if you’re traveling with your friends or even when walking around by yourself.

Name the best memory you have when you travelled there.
1. Catching a show at The Viper Room – Johnny Depp’s nightclub.



2. Getting out of the city to Laguna Beach, Orange County with friends to meet some cousins. The roadtrip brought us to Huntington Beach too, where the view was great.
3. Having a catch-up dinner with an overseas-based friend at Pasadena. Plenty of great restaurants and bars there.
4. Walking along Sunset Boulevard, having drinks, meals and shopping.


Give 3 pieces of golden advice for those who are thinking of visiting this city.
1. Get prepared for some serious shopping, cash is the most liquid.
2. Get your international driver’s license
3. Be aware and alert at all times, if you’re venturing into some dodgy areas. LA has certain areas where it can be pretty rough, especially if you’re going off the beaten track or with local friends.

Your next travel destination?
Tokyo, Japan

Ultimate travel fantasy?
Heading to Japan or LA to catch some of my favourite bands and artistes perform live.

- the Fad girl

Vienna - Conclusion

Schönbrunn , Hofburg, Der Graben, Stephansplatz. Mozart, Konzerthaus, Musikverein and Viennese Boys' Choir. The assasination of Princess "Sisi", Marie Antoinette, Opernhaus! The typical tourist must-sees and must-knows.

Apart from the usual tourist attractions which you'd have already read of from guidebooks, there are many other ways to explore Vienna. You can do a tram-spotting tour.

Buy a 24-hour travel card and tram-hop your way across Vienna. Ride your way around the Ringstrasse where you can take in much of the majestic architecture from theatre halls to churches to museums and palaces.



Tram #1 and #2 loop the Ringstrasse, only in opposite direction. With a day card, you can sit on the tram for unlimited times and jump on/off at any stops you like.

Another fruitful way to take in a city is always to walk. Single out the places you'd love to see and hike your way around.



Peer into people's apartments and imagine what their lives are like! Better yet, lose your way and wander off track.





You might just chance upon a quaint shop selling antiques or walk into a local cafe for a Viennese meal of Wiener Schnitzel and Apfelstrudel complete with Viennese coffee!

While we're on food, why not go on a Food-trail? Venture into local bars and cafés, sample something you've never seen before.



Talk to the locals, do a photo-blog tour! I found the locals to be friendly and polite. They are very fluent in English and I felt safe in the city.

Or you can visit the local supermarkets and get gifts and souvenirs there! The famous Mozartkugeln (Mozart Chocolate Balls) are cheaper in local grocery shops. And it's always interesting to look at what the Austrian eat and drink on a day-to-day basis. Grocery shopping in countries I visit has got to be one of the most special activites I enjoy. And I'd usually buy candies or snacks I've never seen before and bring them home. It is also much cheaper to buy food and drinking water from supermarkets than to constantly patronise restaurants.

In Vienna, you can find Merkur, Billa, Spar and Hofer. I personally like Spar bc I can find almost everything there and there's one outlet I found near the Wiener Staatsoper, Vienna's famouse opera house.



Another good chain is probably Billa, the sign is very eye-catching in yellow and red.

So this is off the beaten path. If you have extra time in Vienna or wanna experience this lovely city in the way you like, those would probably be what I would do.

Vienna had left an indelible impression on me. It's old world charm was especially unforgettable, further enhanced by tales of its royal family from centuries ago, as I learnt everything during the museums and palace visits. I also remember fondly the trademark red trams that were everywhere - I fell in love with them; the morning when I'd walked down Mariahilferstraße seeing the city come to life, the metros I'd travelled extensively on, the delicious Viennese cuisines I had, as well as the locals I'd interacted briefly with. Vienna is definitely one of the most beautiful places in this world, and one of the lesser-mentioned ones. I can't wait to return bc three days in Vienna was merely enough to cover the tourist to-dos, but too short for me to experience the lifestyle of a true local. And I believe Vienna is definitely worth my further exploring. Till then, Auf Wiedersehen!

- the Fad girl

Vienna Part 3

Introductory video tour with music and narration, courtesy of Thomas and Mollie, off youTube. I love how they showed the metro and metro station. But this is based mostly around Vienna's city center and Hofburg, the imperial palace. Enjoy it!

- the Fad girl

Vienna Part 2

For accommodation in Vienna, I think Wombat is a budget traveller’s dream come true in terms of value-for-money and accessibility.



When booked way in advanced, this hostel costs you no more than 20 euros per night. Check with the Wombat website or log in to HostelWorld for easy booking.

Right smacked on Mariahilfer Strasse (the street leading to the town centre, also the “Orchard Road” of Vienna), I was a good 30-minute walk away from Ringstrasse, where most tourist attractions were located.




There are 2 Wombats in Vienna. The Base and the one-year-old, The Lounge. Located a stone throw from each other, these two hostels are almost identical. Just that the Lounge is nearer the train station.



I stayed in a room for four, named Princess Suite or something, painted cream, yellow and lavender. It was a unique room in the top floor of the hostel, with a slanted roof that looked out to white sky and tiled roofs.



A piece of advice, never leave your valuables in the locker as the staff are able to open it at will. My whole bag of cash was confiscated when the hostel staff made a mistake in locker allocation. That pissed me off BIG TIME. (Not to mention how freaked out I was!) If only my German were near any comprehension.. I'd have @##$%% the staff.

Now that I'd found a place to stay, I was all ready to explore Vienna...

-the Fad girl

Sevilla

Here in The Fad Travels, we asked around so you know how to eat, play, live..... and sleep around.

It's not always just the Fad people writing in this blogazine. We have lined up a series of vox pops on various travel topics and for the big-bang take-off this post, we feature a brief interview conducted with Who's Your Daddy?!, who shared with us her recent trip to Seville.




Sevilla, is the Spanish name for Seville, capital of Andalusia (South of Spain). Famous for its Giralda, Alcázar, Torre del Oro, and trees of oranges adorning its beautiful ancient streets, this southern belle is one of the most captivating hotties - literally, given its fine sunny weather, and popular travel destinations in Europe.


First off, give yourself a nick name!
- Who's your daddy?!

Which is the most unforgettable city you've travelled to?
- Sevilla

Why?
- For her food, quaint streets and weather.

Name the five best memory you have of your travel to that city.
- Food of course, mismesh of Moorish and European architecture, nice weather, quaint streets and the company I had.

Giralda and Alcázar

Give 3 pieces of golden advice for those who are thinking of visiting this city.
- Take your time to experience the Sevilla streets
- Enjoy the food
- Don't eat the oranges on the streets. (They are close to being inedible.)

Your next travel destination?
- USA

Your travel philosophy?
- You can always earn back money but can never earn back time and youth!

Been anywhere lately? We welcome your travel inputs of tales and tips. Keep 'em rolling in!

- the Fad girl

Vienna Part 1

It was the 1700s. In the summer palace known endearingly as Schönbrunn, adorned with excessive Rococo splendour, painted in a regal ochre-gold, the stage was set for centuries of romances and tragedies, victories won by bloodshed and losses beyond battles. That was the time when Maria Theresa ruled Austria. The golden era of peace would soon be disrupted. The queen had no choice. She had to marry off her youngest, most beloved daughter, Marie Antoinette, to the Dauphin of France in order to secure Austria's sovereignty. Never did she expect that to be the worst decision of her life, for it would be years later, when Marie Antoinette would be executed during the French Revolution...


Vienna has always been shrouded with mystique and romanticism, perhaps the result of its glorious Habsburg past. The capital of Austria, today's Vienna is still the old, quaint beauty you see in postcards and photographs - and then more. Vienna is an understated beauty, without the pride of pompous Paris or dilapidation of Rome. It has by far, successfully avoided modernisation like many of its European counterparts, thus retaining an old world charm that would astound, then capture your heart. Such is the allure of the gem of central Europe.

I went to Vienna in March, at the tail end of winter. A coat was still needed then. Flying in through the newly opened route from Barcelona, it was Sky Europe’s first day of flight into Eastern Europe, so we were all served white wine.

Travelling around Central/Eastern Europe, I would recommend the scenic route of taking trains.

But travelling to Eastern Europe from west or south, the most efficient way is to fly. One of the budget airlines that offer great deals has to be SkyEurope (lotsa blonde stewardess who speak English). Another would be Click Air. Alternatively, you can scan for other flights using Skyscanner.

A word of advice:
Always try to book tickets way in advance for cheaper deals. Peel your eyes opened for discounts, which are often offered, albeit at weid times, such as evenings or midnights. Sometimes a discount has hidden costs such as airport tax so you have to be prepared for that.

By going budget does not mean you have to subject yourself to inconvenient modes of transport, such as flying Ryan Air – which many reckon as dirt cheap (not really! since budget airline companies are now increasing competition by providing better routes than RyanAir, and arriving in city center) yet it utilises airports in “ulu” places. By having to spend the extra cash travelling into town does not equate to cost-savings if you think about it. It only adds to more inconveniences.

Vienna's International airport is located in Schwechat; about 18 km southeast of Vienna. Upon arrival, there are several ways to get to city centre.

I took the Airport Bus, which looks like a tour bus.
Fare: 6€. (I bought my ticket from the driver upon boarding)
Time: Starts from 0600 hr, leaves every half hour.
Takes you directly to: Sudbahnhof first (25 minutes), then Westbahnhof (35 minutes). Both are major railway stations – so it is easy to spot for alighting, and for orientating yourselves as you find your bearings and figure out how to get to the hotel/hostel.

In the next instalment: Vienna accomodation and the "must-see"! Stay tune.

- the Fad girl