lorimarsha

PACKING
Rolling your clothes maximizes suitcase space
If you can only pack two pair of shoes, one pair must be cute
One carry-on per person makes the airport easier
One carry-on per person = a lot of ironing
Accessories are underrated- scarves rule
REI fashion is better for camping than urban areas
A small clutch handbag would have been nice
If your hotel offers laundry service, remember for the same price you can buy new undies
Carry a small Moleskine journal for travel notes and use the handy pocket in the back

DINING
Walk ten miles a day and you can eat all you want
Don’t bother with the chocolate cake at Hotel Sacher in Vienna
It is possible to eat too much sausage
Turns out I like beer
If you pack a lobster print dress you must iron it, wear it, and order lobster
The waiters bring the check only after you request it
“Rocket” salad translates to arugula
Tipping is confusing- agree to over-tip
Someone needs to develop a universal code for ordering coffee

LANGUAGE
Don’t worry- almost everyone speaks English
Unlike the French, Eastern Europeans enjoy your attempt to speak their language
Read the signs in the subway stations for a taste of popular culture
Smiles require no translation
Czech text is lovely to look at
German street names are unusually long
Brits speak a different form of English

GETTING AROUND
Berlin and London have public transportation nailed
Never jump on/off a bus when you can walk
Buy an Oyster Card for London’s Underground and get a free IKEA plastic pouch
When traveling by train, check out the station the day before you leave
Mind the gap and look right
London taxi drivers earn 1100 pounds per year to cover their cars with tacky graphics
Find the U-2 station in Berlin and take a picture for Bono
Those tube escalators go way, way down

SHOPPING
Cherish the solitary experience
Visit Harrods if only to ride the escalator and look up at the ceiling
Scarves make good gifts and they pack flat
Check out the window display at All Saints in Berlin
Walk quickly past American and stores and don’t look back
Visit the local grocery store for a glimpse of real life
Appreciate Liberty of London’s prices at Target

SEEING THE SIGHTS
If there’s a public park, walk through it
If there’s water nearby, sit next to it
Take on the big museums early in the day
Mitigate museum fatigue with a coffee/wine/beer break
When in Prague, limit your photos of the castle to under 20
Touch the Berlin wall and remember what it represented

AND FINALLY…
Set the security room lock unless you want to treat your maid to a peek at your left breast

I keep hearing it said that you can’t find good stuff at thrift stores anymore. Well, I have to disagree. Granted, it takes time and the ability to withstand a lot of ugly 80s dresses and unmatched Tupperware, but I am continually amazed by what people discard.

My most recent find, and the impetus for this post, was a Vivienne Westwood handbag- casual, wearable and in perfect condition. Just in the last year, I have found Bakelite bangles, 1950s Pyrex mixing bowls, a pair of Junya Watanabe pants, a 1940s Mexican silver bracelet, a vintage green wooden Japanese box, a Catherine Malandrino sweater, Marc Jacobs shoes (and not “Marc for Marc Jacobs” either!), a 1950s handpainted Mexican circle skirt, a pristine 1950s party dress, a set of 8 fabulous 1960s party glasses, French eyeglass frames, and an undercarved aquamarine lucite bracelet. There’s more, I promise you.

Yes, I spend more than the average amount of time in thrift stores. Yes, I have acquired the ability to edit out a lot of bad visual and odorous bombardments. These amazing finds are out there. For me, the thrill of the hunt has always outweighed any of the potentially negative experiences of shopping second hand or “segundo mano” as many of these stores are called. And since I’m shopping there to find the raw materials for my recycled garments, these “extras” are the payoffs that make these shopping trips more than worthwhile.

So, I encourage you to take a little side trip when you’re headed to the mall. Take a little spin around your local thrift stores and do it more than once. You’ll greatly improve your odds of finding something truly spectacular.