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Your insider guide to New York’s Chinatown by a native New Yorker

December 18, 2019 by Annie Tan 2 Comments

Last Updated on December 18, 2019

When friends and acquaintances find out that I was born and raised in Manhattan’s Chinatown and that I still live here, they always ask, “What would you recommend in Chinatown?” (First, always, to not block the sidewalk, as Chinatown streets are busy and narrow!) As a local, I waver on giving my actual recommendation, for fear of people packing my favorite hole-in-the-wall. But there are too many good things in Chinatown for me to keep my favorite places a secret. This guide to NYC’s Chinatown includes insider tips for visiting Chinatown, must-knows, and my favorite places to eat in Chinatown.

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Belgium in 4 days: Beer, Chocolate, & Castles

December 16, 2019 by Karen 9 Comments

Last Updated on January 15, 2020

The beginner’s guide to Belgium’s best sights! Includes travel tips and top 5 sights for visiting Antwerp, Ghent, and Bruges. Includes chocolate, beer, and castles! Read more for the best tourist sites to visit in Antwerp, Ghent, and Bruges as well as travel advice for visiting Belgium in a quick 4-day itinerary.

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Secret New York: 30+ off the beaten path spots in New York City to love

November 28, 2019 by Karen 2 Comments

Last Updated on January 8, 2020

New York City is full of the weird and the wonderful. As a native New Yorker, I’ve given up on seeing every corner of this city as it’s impossible. However, you don’t need to look that hard for off the beaten path spots in New York city if your eyes are open and your Metrocard is topped up. Together with Moeima Makeba, we’re here to show you 30+ secret spots in New York City that you’ll be hopefully fascinated with.

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Tips for celebrating New Year’s Eve in Amsterdam

November 13, 2019 by Karen 1 Comment

Last Updated on December 30, 2019

Considering visiting Amsterdam for New Year’s Eve? Amsterdam is one of the best European cities to celebrate New Year’s Eve in Europe within. Read insider tips by a resident on the best things to do on New Year’s Eve in Amsterdam, the best parties on NYE in Amsterdam, and where to buy fireworks in Amsterdam.

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20 Things Nobody Tells You About Visiting New York by a native New Yorker

November 4, 2019 by Karen 113 Comments

Last Updated on November 20, 2019

I’m a proud New Yorker who was born and raised in New York City. When someone asks me what they should know when visiting New York for the first time, I don’t always know where to start as there’s so many things to do in New York. I’ve decided to take a different approach here with some NYC local secrets to help you navigate your trip better.

Expect some humorous tips for first time visitors to New York (although those on their fifth trip to NYC might find this travel advice helpful). I sincerely hope that these New York travel tips come in handy and help you avoid some of the mistakes that people make on their first trip to New York. 20 Insider tips for New York under the cut.

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Your Detroit travel guide: What to do in Detroit on a short trip

November 4, 2019 by Karen 1 Comment

Last Updated on November 6, 2019

After spending years in the Rust Belt and reading endlessly about the Renaissance of Detroit, I had to see Detroit for myself. This short guide to Detroit includes the highlights of Detroit within one or two days and what to do in Detroit for first-time visitors. Detroit definitely surprised me and I think that many American history lovers will fall in love with Detroit’s stunning art deco buildings. amazing street art, cool bars, and world-class museums.

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The best museums in Amsterdam and which museums to skip

November 1, 2019 by Karen 4 Comments

Last Updated on November 9, 2019

One of the best parts of visiting Amsterdam is to visit the many museums in Amsterdam. As an Amsterdam resident, I had the Museumkaart, which gave me access to the majority of the museums in Amsterdam (as well as the rest of the Netherlands), which meant that I’d often take an afternoon to explore a museum.

I hope that I can inspire you to visit some of my favorite museums in Amsterdam. I also include some advice about what ‘museums‘ in Amsterdam to avoid. (I put this in quotes as some claim to be museums, but I truly think that you can skip them as they are bonafide tourist traps.)

I’ll first go into the best museums in Amsterdam (in my opinion) with a note about who they’re suitable for and which museums in Amsterdam to skip.

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A free self-guided walking tour of the best chocolate in Brussels

November 1, 2019 by Karen 17 Comments

Last Updated on November 8, 2019

If you’re figuring out what to do in Brussels and you’re a chocolate lover, you must try Belgian chocolate—and do a chocolate tasting in Brussels. Here’s some advice for finding the best chocolatiers in Brussels on a self-guided chocolate tour in Brussels, including their addresses!

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Your perfect Ghent itinerary for Belgium’s most underrated city

October 28, 2019 by Karen Leave a Comment

Last Updated on March 9, 2020

Despite coming to Belgium so many times, I’ve definitely fallen in love with Ghent. This charming Belgian city has so much to do and after some day trips and finally a long weekend in Ghent, I’ve created an itinerary for visiting Ghent for first-timers highlighting the best things to do in Ghent. Needless to say, I’ll be back soon and I’m disappointed for not discovering Ghent sooner!

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30+ useful Dutch apps for new expats in the Netherlands

October 28, 2019 by Karen 2 Comments

Last Updated on October 29, 2019

I ended up being asked recently about the most useful apps that I’ve downloaded during my 4+ years living in the Netherlands. It took me a while to dig through my phone, but this post will be an overview of my favorite Dutch apps and some others that my friends swear by. I hope this post is helpful for any foreigners moving to the Netherlands. 😉

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