From Gnocchi in Argentina to Acaraje in Brazil, some of our favorite bloggers have food on there minds, and share with us some delightful tastes from their travels that will have you yearning for a bite! I’m getting hungry just writing about this!

- The Blissful Gutton shares some wonderful tales and mouth-watering photos of the culinary delights she partook in Argentina
- Farsighted Fly Girl tells us why a black-eye pea fritter known as Acaraje is a must have in Brazil.
- American Expat now living in Italy, Miss Expatria, takes a walk down food memory lane, as she reminisces on the memories certain food items conjure up.
- Journey Chic gives us a great gazpacho to enjoy before Fall sets in.
- In her blog, Why Travel to France, an American Expat now living in France gives us a glimpse of an array French pumpkins and squash, and show us that Harvest time is right around the corner.

Hope you enjoy this delicious buffet of tasty travel experiences!

Needless to say, my childhood memories of songs like “My Favorite Things”, “So Long, Farewell”, and of course “Sound of Music”, came flashing back when I read a news story about one of the real-life daughter’s visit back to Austria to celebrate the opening of Hotel Villa Trapp.

The Sound of Music was based on a true story about Baron Georg von Trapp and his family who end up fleeing Austria to avoid the Nazi regime in the late 1930s. As depicted in the movie, the family always sang and played instruments, and fled to America to tour as ‘The Trapp Family Singers’. Most of the family still lives in Vermont today.

When the von Trapp family left their life behind in Austria, they left a villa in Salzburg, which was eventually seized by a Nazi security chief. After the war, missionaries gained possession of the home.

The Villa has now been converted into a hotel, Hotel Villa Trapp, and is scheduled to open to the public in October.This landmark is sure to draw many visitors to Salzburg, Sound of Music fans and those who want to learn more history about the real von Trapp family.

If you decide to stay at the Hotel Villa Trapp, and want to see more, Salzburg Panorama Tours offers Sound of Music Tours. You can check out the city tour of Salzburg, as well as a visit locations featured in the movie such as Mirabell Gardens, Residence Palace, and Rock Riding School. For a more off the beaten path tour, check out The Hills Are Alive Tours.


If you can’t get to Austria, you can get a little Sound of Music in the U.S. at the Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe, Vermont. You can stay at The Villas at Trapp Family Lodge where the website boasts, “the 2,400-acre resort with sweeping mountain views provides accommodations in an Austrian-style Main Lodge with 96 rooms and suites, 100 2-bedroom Guest Houses and 16 luxurious 3-bedroom Villas. Talented chefs prepare European specialties in The Dining Room, The Lounge and the Austrian Tea Room, complemented by nightly entertainment. First-class facilities are available for meetings and weddings.”

Whether it’s in Austria or Vermont…If you’re a fan of the movie like me, add a little music to your travel plans.

Because of language barriers, we travelers sometimes have to use our hands to help get our point across. The article Etiquette 101: Hand Gestures reveals which gestures will do just that…and which are sure to offend the person your communicating with. We don’t want that to happen, so keep on reading…

In the future, Two JetSet Divas plan to occasionally highlight gestures from a specific country (the good, the bad, and the ugly) or the meanings around the world for gestures we use here in the U.S.




We’ll start with some common gestures:

Thumbs Up

America - Generally means “Cool” or “That’s good!”. Tilt the hand a little and it could mean “hitchhiking”.
Nigeria, Greece, Southern Italy, and parts of Russia and the Middle East - Considered an obscene gesture.
Austria, France, Germany - Means the number one.
Japan - Means the number five. So, you might think you said “That’s good” and end up ordering five more!




Okay

America - Generally means “A-OK”.
France - Means “zero” or “nothing”.
Denmark and Italy - Could mean an insult.
Brazil, Paraguay, Guatemala - Obscene gesture.

Peace sign

America - Generally means “peace”. If reversed (palm in), the gesture can mean “peace out” or “I’m gone”.
U.K. and Australia - If reversed (palm in), gesture is considered obscene.






Here’s a nice, yet complex chart of gestures from the Conde Nast article. The next time you trek around the globe, make sure you use your hands wisely.

source: Global Business Etiquette

Okay, I know our blog is supposed to showcase how to travel affordably and see the world without breaking the bank. But, a Diva can dream occasionally, right? I dream that some day my eight hour trek across the Atlantic won’t be cramped in the middle seat between Ms. Talk-a-lot and Mr. Snore-too-loud. SOME DAY I’ll have my very own ’section’ and be able to change my seat into a bed…an office… a movie theater…a lounge…whatever I want! Some day, I tell ya.

Although I have dreams of traveling with the first class treatment in the future, it’s a reality today for passengers who travel on Eos Airlines. In operation since 2005, Eos Airlines provides flights between New York’s JFK Airport and London’s Stansted Airport. With only 48 seats on the aircraft and each seat having 21 sq. ft of personal space, Eos boasts that it has 40% more room than traditional business class cabins. This personal space does come with a price tag, however. Ranging from $2950 for weekend travel to $6500 for last minute bookings, Eos Airlines isn’t for the average Joe (or Joanna), but its fares are considered to be quite reasonable for ‘Joe, CEO’.

More travelers will have the opportunity to fly with Eos as the airline is scheduled to add new routes in places such as Newark (this Spring) and Paris (this Fall). Also, Eos is offering a promotional package to those who book a flight by April 11, 2008. If you purchase a ticket with a fare of $4000 or more, you can receive your choice of an iPod Classic or frequent flyer points. Purchasing a ticket with a fare less than $4000 will give you an iPod nano or points. Question though….if you’re dishing out $4K for a plane ticket, are you really too strapped to buy an iPod in the first place?? I mean, really. But it’s nice for them to offer, I guess.






A roundtrip ticket on Eos Airlines may not fit this JetSet Diva’s budget right now, but it’s our duty to share cool travel stories with our reading community. If anyone has flown with Eos or ever gets the chance to…tell us about your experience. For now, I’ll just keep on dreamin’ and say, “That’s fly”…

Jay-Z and Beyonce yachting near St. Tropez

We see them in the latest celebrity news column…. sun-kissed celebs, looking ever so relaxed on their yachts or on the beach.

Ever wished you could JetSet to a luxurious hotspot for some celebrity treatment? Now we can’t promise you a yacht, but you too can travel to the same locations as the stars, at a fraction of the expense.

Two celebrity-frequented destinations are St. Tropez, France and the island of St. Barths in the Caribbean.

Saint-Tropez
Through their lyrics and online vacation photos, celebrities such as Diddy and Jay-Z, have given us many visuals of the luxury lifestyle that can be had in St. Tropez (or Saint-Tropez). However, they aren’t the only celebrities that make this village along the French Riviera their top vacation spot. Celebs such as Oprah Winfrey, Quincy Jones, Barbra Streisand, Jack Nicholson, Robert DeNiro, Beyonce, and Elton John have visited St. Tropez. The best time to catch celebs like these is in July, prime beach-lounging season. The Hotel Guru has located some inexpensive and mid-priced hotels in St. Tropez, such as Hotel Les Palmiers (with rooms from 86-187 Euros/night)and La Ponche (rooms available for 155 Euros/night).

St. Barth
St. Barth (also known as St. Bart or St. Barthelemy) has also become reknown for its influx of famous visitors. This tiny island is only eight square miles in size. St. Barth, which is located in the eastern Caribbean near St. Martin, has a significant French influence. The best time to go ’star’ gazing is the two-week period starting before Christmas through the New Year.

Penelope Cruz kayaking in St. Barths

The island has attracted celebs such as Denzel Washington, Clive Davis, Usher, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Mariah Carey, Penelope Cruz, Kimora Lee Simmons, Enrique Iglesias and his tennis star girlfriend, Anna Kournikova. International models love St. Barths, as it was the location for a Victoria’s Secret photo shoot. Because this island is small, demand for lodging is high. However, The New York Times provides some affordable ways to visit St. Barts.

Woe is me. This Victoria’s Secret photo shoot on this yacht in St. Barths is so not fun.

St. Lucia

Hey Divas, it’s the begining of the year and it’s time to get those travel plans in order. Are you looking for the It places to visit this year? Well, look no further.

Condé Nast Traveler magazine recently published its annual ‘2008 It List’ on its Concierge website. The list includes up-and-coming destinations and old favorites that owe another visit.

From islands in China to beachfronts in Mozambique, this ecletic list is sure to get you daydreaming about your next vacation. But, don’t stop there…make sure you turn those dreams into reality!

Mozambique

The 2008 IT List:
Mozambique
St. Lucia
Montenegro
Ecuador
Sicily
Oman
San Diego, CA
Hainan Island, China
Puerto Escondido, Mexico
Paris, France