As you know, I am always looking for some great places to recommend to help us all look and feel our best.  I was introduced to electrolysis years ago by my mom to get rid of some stray unwanted hairs.  Since then, I've been going for different parts of my body and have definitely had my share of electrologists over the years, and I can tell you there is definitely a difference between the good ones and the ones you pay to basically pull your hair out with a tweezer.  People go for electrolysis for pretty much any body part...from your eyebrows to your toes and everything in between!  Many women like going for their bikini line so they never have to worry about shaving or waxing again.

Having moved back to New Jersey recently, I was looking for someone good and found Lori Jay from The Center For Skin Enhancement on a website that lists board certified electrologists in New Jersey.  She works with a dermatologist, Dr. Kurnick, so that made me feel even more comfortable.   In the past, I have gone to people who have left some pretty bad scabbing after the treatment, saying it was normal, but I knew after having gone to a few others that this was not normal and could have been from an older machine or the current that was being used.  For those of you who may be new to electrolysis, there are three common types of treatment...galvanic, thermolysis, or short wave, and the electro-blend method.  Without going into too much detail, the galvanic is the oldest method and is done very slowly, thermolysis is what most electrologists are using these days, which is the fastest method, but hasn't always been the most effective for me and can have a high regrowth rate.  I have found the blend method to work well because time is taken with each hair and it really gets into the root, but is not as slow as galvanic.  Depending on who you call and what method they use, you will probably be told different things about each, but all I can tell you is that I have found the blend to work best for me.

In addition to finding the method that works best for you, you have to find a good electrologist who really knows what they are doing and doesn't cause you to scab on a consistent basis (every so often and at the beginning can be normal) and knows how to target  the root, otherwise it will grow back as if you had just pulled it out.  The point of electrolysis is to kill the root so it comes back thinner and then  never again.  Not only is Lori a knowledgeable and skilled electrolysis, but she is very engaging and will explain everything in detail to you in your initial consultation which includes a free 30 minute treatment, so it's a no brainer to try it out.  You can reach Lori at (609) 314-0344 at The Center for Skin Enhancement in Willingboro, New Jersey.

For all you women with curly hair, you know how difficult it can be to get a good haircut.  You try to get rid of the bulk around your face, so they take a razor to thin it out and before you know it, your hair never curls the way it used to.  So many places can give you a good haircut if you are willing to blow your hair straight everyday, but how many places really know the intricacies of curly hair, keeping each curl full of bounce and vibrancy so you're not a slave to your blow dryer or flat iron?  Don't get me wrong, for professional meetings and work, I blow my hair straight, but on an everyday basis, I would like to be able to throw in some gel and go.  

When I lived in NYC, there were a few curly hair salons that I heard about, but I had never tried one out...until now.  It was a Friday and I decided I needed a fresh look so I called up Ouidad, an upscale but friendly 5000 sq. foot salon specializing in curly, wavy and kinky hair on 57th street between 5th and 6th avenues.  I worked with Ana, the artistic director and educator, who has been at the salon for over fifteen years and before we even got started, she talked with me all about my hair..what I like, what I don't like, etc.  She made sure to know exactly what I wanted before getting started.  Right away, I knew I'd be in good hands.  She suggested brightening up my color a bit for the summer and added beautiful highlights around my face and to the crown of my head.  She knew the perfect color combination.  It came out looking natural, but bright with contrast.  She mixed three different shades to achieve the look, which also worked to fix a bad color job from another salon.

Next up was the cut, and again, we discussed the length and look I was going for.  I like my long hair, but I wanted something fun and sassy, so she cut a few inches.  But it was more than just a trim off the bottom.  Ouidad's stylists use a technique called carving and slicing as they address each individual curl.  Throughout my cut and color, Ana's assistant, Sondriel, explained everything to me, from how to shampoo and condition my hair for the best looking curls to the types of products to use and how to style.  She also kept asking if I had any questions.  I think it's great how much time they spend with you explaining everything, unlike in many salons where you almost feel like you're bothering them by asking any questions.

A big part of managing your curly hair is how you treat and style it so Ana showed me a technique for getting a certain look when blow drying it straight and then explained the rake and shake technique they use for keeping it curly.  It definitely takes some practice, as I've not yet perfected it, but it's a pretty simple way of getting the full head of curls and volume you've always wanted!  Even without spending the time doing the shake and rake throughout my hair, it still comes out really curly with just some gel.  I was amazed at the all of the beautiful curls on the women as they left the salon.

After you are done with your appointment, they hand you a booklet with their products and directions for how to style your hair, but I was so surprised that they did not pressure me into buying any of the products.  Usually at salons like these, they will tell you that you must buy their products to achieve the same look.  Instead, Sondriel suggested I finish the products I have at home first and then I can always go back in or order them online.  I know I will be getting the Ouidad products because I believe they work well, but it's nice to know there's no  pressure of adding a long list of products onto your bill that day.   I walked out of the salon feeling confident with my new found curls...ones that were always mine, but were hiding under a bad cut.  Thanks Ouidad!

As you know from some of my previous posts, I have been having issues with my lower back for quite some time.  Having gone to several therapists, chiropractors and doctors, my most recent doctor, Dr. Clifford Stark, medical director at Sports Medicine at Chelsea, has been the first and only one to uncover the real problem.  He has found that my ligaments are very loose, which creates instability in my lower back.  This becomes a vicious cycle because, as he states, the most important factor in controlling this problem is to maintain strong muscles, especially my core.   The injections he did to stabilize my ligaments, called PRP and prolotherapy, were only part of the equation.  Physical therapy has been a long frustrating haul until he recently introduced me to a new product that has done wonders for my stability, the Indo Board, developed by Hunter Joslin.

Most people get the Indo Original Training Package which consists of a board to place on top of a cylindrical roller or an inflatable disc.    The idea that whatever the exercise, even just standing, is extremely difficult because it creates an unstable surface, which forces me to activate muscles to keep from loosing my balance.  I've tried many other balancing products at the gym and at physical therapy, but none have activated  as many muscles as this has.  I can feel the  muscles firing in my glutes, abductors, adductors,  lower back, pelvis, abs, quads, hamstrings and other  core stabilizers. 

Although the product was originally designed to  prepare  for board sports, it's also very helpful with many other sports and activities because balance is the foundation for every sport.   If you are a surfer or always wanted to be, this is the perfect product for you to have in your home!  The Indo Board was featured on "The Doctor's" program and you can see the video here to get a good idea of how it works.

Click here and here for some other video links to see what else can be done with the indo board.  And here's a quick tip I'll leave you with:  While you will gain great strength and stability from this workout, start slow because the roller in will take you for a ride if you're not careful!  I am looking forward to mastering some cool tricks on the board one of these days, but I'll take it one step at a time!

It's summertime and everyone always says they want to get back in shape.  Well, while I always try and workout throughout the year, I am extra motivated now with the thought of spending lots of weekends at the shore and any place tropical.  Plus, I've had a weak lower back ever since I fell lifeguarding sixteen years ago and had a slip on the ice last year.   In addition to the PRP injections I get from my favorite sports medicine doctor, Dr. Clifford Stark, I know the importance of strengthening all the muscles in that region.  I have very loose ligaments, so unless I strengthen my core and glutes, my sacrum can rotate at anytime.  In steps Mo Orlando, my big strong trainer at the Cherry Hill Health and Racquet Club. When I did my two intro training sessions with him months ago, I could tell he knew his stuff and zeroed in on exactly what muscles were weak and which ones were compensating.  So while it's taken me a little while, I finally signed up for sixteen sessions with him and had my first two this week.  When I tell you he kicked my butt, he kicked my butt!  I am feeling muscles in my behind that I don't think ever fired before in any of my workouts.  He did a lot of hip and glute work, including stabilization and strengthening exercises and I am already feeling stronger!  Today, we did upper body and abs.  I will keep you posted on my workouts, but if you need a good trainer who knows his functional anatomy, Mo's your man!

Many of you have heard me talking about Club Getaway on "After Hours."  I decided to head up there for Memorial Day Weekend, as I had returned from their singles cruise a few months ago and was eager to see the new friends I had made.  The last time I was at Club Getaway was four years ago, and I forgot just how much fun I had.   It's a beautiful place to visit and one that offers water and land sports galore.  Take workout and massage classes, arts and crafts,  trapeze,  go hiking and biking in the breathtaking mountains, and kayak, water ski and sail on the lake.  Plus, enjoy great food, drinks, entertainment, and a ton of fun people.  The camp is easily accessible in scenic Kent, CT. and is just a few hour drive from anywhere in the tri-state area.  They offer a bus from NYC which makes it very easy and convenient.  Their themed weekends start Friday evenings and end Sunday evenings, unless you go up for their extended holiday weekends, so you don't have to worry about taking any time off from work.  While it's only for a few days, you'll return feeling refreshed and full of memories.

Click here for all the details and a list of the different weekends catering to various ages, singles, and families.  I will be going back up for J-weekend in July and with Scott, my producer, August 13-15 for the Sports and Fun weekend and look forward to seeing you there!

When we think about romantic getaways, many of us think of posh spas or quaint bed and breakfasts, but what about taking a cruise up the Norwegian coast to hunt for the Northern Lights with your loved one?  Probably not the first thing that comes to mind, but while sailing aboard the M.S. Trollfjord, one of the boats in the Hurtigruten fleet, all I could think about was how nice it would’ve been to share the breathtaking Norwegian snow-capped mountain scenery and the charm of the big cities and small towns and villages with someone close to me.   I had heard that the aurora borealis (the Northern Lights) were a spectacular site to see and even had a positive influence on your mood.  In some cultures, they believe it enhances fertility.  They are caused by solar wind, electrically charged particles the sun flings across the solar system that are drawn to the Earth’s magnetic fields around the poles.  That’s why they are only visible from extreme latitudes.  When I had the opportunity to see them while sailing through the fjords of Norway, it was a chance I could not pass up.

There are twelve ships in the Hurtigruten fleet, the M.S. Trollfjord being one of the  two newest ships.  With boats sailing the same itinerary every day of the week, it’s easy to customize a trip to your schedule.  I could not begin the trip at the same time as everyone else, so while I missed seeing the city of Bergen, had I sailed on another ship, I could’ve had the same itinerary.  I’ve been on a few cruises lately and  I would have to say the food on this boat is terrific!  Breakfast and lunch were open seating buffets and for dinner, we had two time choices for eating.  With fish being so fresh and abundant in Norway, we always had lox, herring, cod, and caviar at every meal as well as traditional Norwegian meats of reindeer, meatballs, potatoes and pea soup.  Dessert were made of cloudberry, huge blocks of icecream, fruits and cakes.  The gym and sauna on  the ninth deck had the best views with huge ceiling to floor windows.   Watching the beautiful coastline made my time on the elliptical  peaceful and enjoyable.  Outside on the deck, there were two Jacuzzis which were also a magical way to watch for the northern lights and take in the surrounding beauty.  There’s nothing like sitting in a hot Jacuzzi while snow is falling around you.  When getting out, we made a beeline for the sauna, which felt great.

Throughout the seven day voyage aboard Hurtigruten, you’ll stop in several ports throughout the day and night.  Some allow you a few hours, others are a quick stop for the ship to deliver cargo and you may have the opportunity to run off for a half an hour to check out the port.  Our main stops were Bergen, a bustling capital of Norway’s fjord region, Alesund, a beautiful Art Noveau town, Trondheim, with its charming streets and Gothic cathedral of Nidaros, where the kings of ancient Norway once received their official blessings.  On Day four, we crossed the arctic circle and they did an official baptizing ceremony which I unfortunately slept through (or maybe fortunately since they poured ice down everyone’s back!) and then we stopped in Bodo where we enjoyed a Lofotr Viking feast.  In Tromso, known as Norways “Paris of the North,” we had a beer at Olhallen Bar, the northern most brewery in the world, visited the Arctic Cathedral, the Northern most Catholic Church, with its beautiful stainglass windows, and walked through Polaria, home of the bearded seals, and watched them being fed and trained.   On Day 6, we arrived in Honningsvag, where we were greeted by a huge snow storm, so unfortunately the road was closed up to the North Cape, but we explored the northern most town and had the opportunity to hold some huge king crabs (there are king crab safaris available) and learn about their mating rituals.  My favorite part of the trip began in Kjollefjord where we took a snowmobile trip in Lapland from the trading fishing village of Kjolleford over the mountains to Mehamn. This was a beautiful ride along the Finland coast under the starry winter sky.  On Day seven, we stayed overnight in Kirkenes at the Sollia Lodge, the perfect spot on the Russian border to see the northern lights.  In Kirkenes, we took a snowmobile safari and dog sledding trip under a crystal clear starry sky.  These two activities were so much fun and I would highly recommend doing both.   We couldn’t have had a better ending to our day.  Right after the dog sledding adventure, the beautiful green hues started appearing in the sky.  They transformed themselves into different shapes, came and went and then appeared again.  A few of us stayed up until 3am observing their movement and patterns.  It was a truly amazing experience.

After the cruise up the coast, you have the option to continue aboard for the southbound journey and experience additional activities and ports or you may want to fly to Oslo, as we did for the last two days of the trip.  It’s a great way to get a taste of the urban as well as the arctic life of Norway.   The city of Oslo is a beautiful one consisting of great museums, monuments, a beautifully constructed opera house, the world’s most modern ski jump, which will be used in the 2011 world championships, cross country skiing, and a great mix of restaurants and nightlife.  The Oslo Ice Bar is a must stop for a cloudberry mixed drink in a frozen ice glass.

Norway is a spectacular country with great people and beautiful landscape and there’s no better way of seeing the fjords than with Hurtigruten.  Be sure to ask for a mid-ship cabin for minimal vibration and one with an unobstructed view, as there’s no better feeling than waking up to a view of the sun glistening off of the coastal snow-clad mountains.  Go to Hurtigruten's and Norway's websites for all the information you'll need to plan your magical voyage.  Thanks to Jeffrey Sobolow for his outstanding photography!

It's been amount a month since I've written last, and this is definitely not like me.   An article on my fantastic trip to Norway has been  sitting on my desktop since returning a month ago, but I've been waiting for some downtime to pick the best pictures.  I should have it done this weekend!  I also have to tell you about my recent experience with Jersey Shore Body Wraps in Wall, NJ.  That was definitely a lot of fun!  If you're a big traveler like me, you know that it can take a little while to get your life back in order when you finally stay home for a bit.

In the meantime, I wanted to share these two links with you.  WWOR-TV interviewed me at the New Jersey 101.5 studios about Tiger Woods and this cheating epidemic we keep hearing about.  Here they are:

http://www.my9tv.com/dpp/my9_news/tiger-talks-before-returning-to-the-green

http://www.my9tv.com/dpp/my9_news/take_it_on/Take-It-On-Cheating
Check back soon for the Norway coverage!

I’m sitting on the top deck of the Costa Atlantica, the sun’s in front of me high in the sky reflecting on the glistening water below.  Many in our group are on the pub crawl, others  relaxing in the hot tub. This has been a phenomenal week.  With over 150 men and women on the Club Getaway Sports and Adventure Cruise, in addition to the few thousand already on the ship, there have been lots of new friends made, some hooking up, and possible budding romances.   The days were packed with excursions in the Western Caribbean, when not at sea, and the nights filled with cocktail parties, dancing, dinner and spectacular entertainment from the ship’s performers.   Club Getaway did a great job in making sure everyone was having a great time from morning until night.  While in port, we had the option of doing set excursions with the group or going off on our own.

Since I love scuba diving, I had to dive while in port, considering Key West, Roatan and Cozumel are all known for their incredible reefs and wrecks.  In Key West, I dove with Dive Key West and we dove the Vandenberg, a  world class wreck that's a 520 ft. long steel hulled troop transport and missile tracking ship.  It is the second largest artificial reef in the world and sits a mere 40 ft. below the surface making her accessible to divers of all levels.   Everyone at Dive Key West was top notch and they're definitely the shop to dive with while in Key West.  Bob Holston is the owner and has been operating for almost 40 years.  They really pride themselves on safety .  There was one person in our group who wanted to dive with me but since it had been awhile since his last dive, they turned him away rather than just taking the business, knowing he needed a refresher.  Greg was a great divemaster and lead us through the inside of the wreck which was really neat.  For the second dive, we dove a coral reef and saw a nurse shark, midnight parrot fish, sergeant majors, french angel and squirrel fish.

Having been to Roatan a few months ago, I was excited to go diving again with Anthony’s Key Resort.  Normally their dives are just for resort guests, but they also handle the cruise ship passengers.   I’ve been on four dives with them now and each one has been so enjoyable.  They really make you feel at home and are also very conscious about safety.  With every new diver, they do a quick check out dive to make sure you have the right weight and know the basics.    The first dive was beautiful through the "Spooky Channel"...Wayne's Reef.  We saw huge grouper, hogfish, cowfish, scorpionfish, lionfish and a huge king crab.   If you are taking a cruise into Roatan and you’re a diver, this is the activity you’ll want to choose while on the island.  With the time we had in port, I was able to do a two tank dive and for the second one, I had the opportunity to dive with the dolphins which was so much fun! Everytime I interact with them, they put such a smile on my face.  It was really cool to see them swim around in their own habitat.  They seemed to love the camera and would swim towards you so you could rub and play with them.   If you are going to Roatan and not on a cruise, you definitely want to stay at Anthony's Key Resort.  The cottages are right across the water from the dive boats and they will ferry you back and forth all day.  In between dives, I put myself in a hammock and fell asleep to the sound of the birds chirping.

I was really looking forward to diving in Cozumel since the last time I was there for a day, I was not yet scuba certified.  At first when we arrived, the port was closed for all water activities because of the rough winds.   I went with the rest of the group to Chankanaab Park, which is a great place to go for snorkeling, diving, the beach, and playing with the dolphins.  They’ll also give you a tour of their Mayan ruins.  About an hour in, they changed the flag to yellow and announced the water was open.  I ran to the dive shop and they hooked me up right away with gear and took me diving right off the shore.  It was a one on one dive and we saw a huge lobster, sting rays, and an eel in the cave we swam through.  After we got back, I really wanted to find a dive shop with whom to do a boat dive because I had been told that what you see by boat is incredible.  The dive shop in Chankanaab recommended I head to Mr. Santos and to the Ramon Zapata's Diver's dive shop.

I had just missed the boat and normally they need to have at least four people.  It was already 2pm and I knew that if I couldn’t go diving with them, I would be in Cozumel for a second time without having seen the magnificent underwater life for which it’s known. When the owner, Ramon Jr., came back from the dive, his sister, Aldarita, who also helps run the diveshop, spoke with him and they said they would send me out with divemaster Abraham even though I was the only one.  I was so thrilled and happy I had found such a friendly operation.  Family run, their father, Ramon was a pioneer of diving in Cozumel.  Having been born in 1925, he started the dive shop and his son and daughter took it over.  Turns out the shop I went diving with in Chankanaab was owned by them as well.   The whole staff really made me feel welcome and was so enthusiastic to share with me their family history in diving.   In addition to the dives you can do from Mr. Santos Beach Club and Chankanaab Park, they will customize any dive for you depending on where you’d like to go, including bullshark diving in Playa del Carmen.   You can also do a discover scuba with them if you’ve never been diving before, and you can get your certification in just a few days.   Divemaster Abraham was great in pointing out many things on our dive.  The coral was absolutely beautiful and the fishes magnificent.  Just as I was posing for a picture near some coral, a huge green moray eel crawled out from a rock under me.   I would highly recommend diving with Ramon Zapata's Divers if you’re headed to Cozumel.  You can make a reservation by emailing them at ramonzapata_divers@hotmail.com.

Overall the week was a ton of fun and if you did not make it on this cruise, you definitely want to make sure you’re on the next one.  We  had some great laughs and met  new friends that we know we’ll see again.  And the best part, while we were partying it up in the tropical Caribbean, the tri state area was getting hit with yet another snowstorm.

It was just two days after I got back from Ecuador and I was back on an international flight out of JFK, this time on Austrian Airlines.  I don’t usually come back from one trip and turnaround for another, but when I heard that it was ball season in Vienna and I would have the opportunity to attend a real life ball, I had to go.  Just saying I was going to the ball sounded so elegant and intriguing to me.  Was I going to meet my Prince Charming in one of the most romantic cities in the world?   While this is ball season and one can attend a few balls in a week if they had the time and money, we attended the most popular one, the Coffeehouse Owner’s Ball at the Imperial Palace.  From the beginning of our trip, we started preparing for our ball experience.  On Thursday, we had the honor of taking a waltzing lesson at one of the most prestigious dance studios in Vienna, “Elmayer.”  Since the “Golden Twenties,” Elmayer has combined manners and dancing to teach children and adults of all ages.  They base their lessons on the traditional Austrian Imperial system.   Considering I’ve never waltzed once in my life, I picked up some of the basic steps and turns rather quickly.  However, when it actually came time to put them to the test at the ball, well that was a whole other story!  I’ll tell you about that later!

Friday afternoon before the big night, we browsed around Popp and Kretschmer, a dress shop that carries gowns imported from around the world.  Of course, I had to play dress up and immediately spotted this gorgeous  poofy green gown. I had never worn anything like it before and thought about how fun it would’ve been to wear to the ball.  If only I had $3,370 Euros  (over $5,000).

Back at the luxurious Imperial Hotel, which I should mention was the perfect place to stay for our fairytale trip, it was time to get ready for the 53^rd annual Coffeehouse Owners’ Ball.   I slipped on my long black gown and heels, twirled my hair up and back with curls on the top of my head, put on my sparkling lipstick and headed downstairs and was greeted by a gentleman with his...get this… horse and carriage!  I stepped up with the assistance of Nicholas, the perfect gentleman, our Vienna guide, and my soon to be dance partner for the evening.

We arrived at the Imperial Palace and it was like walking into a red carpet event, but I imagine much more elegant and spectacular.  Magnificent Chandeliers were glimmering as debutantes in their long white dresses and guests in their gowns and tails filed in and up the long staircase and stopped to have their picture taken by the professional photographer.   Once inside, Nicholas took me around the palace, which took more than an hour, and we just saw about a third of the rooms!  The Spanish riding school, which usually houses Lipizzaner horses, was enchanting.  We walked around the perimeter on the third level and then made it downstairs to the dance floor.  While there were over 10 bands and the orchestra in various rooms, we rotated between the marble room and the adjacent ballroom, the riding school, and the main ballroom where the opening ceremony took place which featured the State Opera Ballet, the Opera Ball Orchestra, the debutantes, many guest performers.   At the end of the opening ceremony, the master of ceremonies announced, “Alles Waltzer” which means “Everyone Waltz!”  This is when everyone joins the debutantes in the first waltz to the Blue Danube.   I was excited and nervous at the same time to put my new dance steps to work.   However, that all went out the window real quickly and Nicolas spun me around the dance floor and kept spinning and spinning and spinning me!  At that point, it was a matter of how hard I could hold onto his arm so I wouldn’t fall on my face in front of everyone in my long gown!  That is when I realized how cool it is that most Austrians start taking dance lessons at such a young age.   Now I have a new goal…sign up for ballroom dancing classes.   Even when we danced the Samba, Nicholas said he was faking it, but he had me twirling out and back into his arms so quickly…probably the best and most fun I’ve had dancing.  At midnight, it was time for the Publekums’ quadrille, a dance they do at midnight and 2am in which we did a sought of square dance and polka.  Again, no idea what I was doing, but I had a blast doing it.  At one point, everyone made a tent with his or her arms and we ran through before joining the end of the chain.

At about 2am, the music was getting even better and my body wanted to keep dancing but my sore feet had something else in mind, so we made our way back outside where the horse and carriages were lined up waiting to take us to the Landtmann Café for a delicious bowl of goulash soup and a beer, a tradition among ball goers.  The Landtmann Café dates back to the 19^th century and was a great place to unwind.  As we sat down, the pianist was playing  “Michelle” by the Beatles, which made me smile...what a great ending to my night of feeling like royalty.

The next day I decided to take my sore feet and hamstrings to the Hotel Sacher and indulge in a thirty minute chocolate body scrub.  After the scrub and lotion, I relaxed in their spa, which had a sauna, steam room and thermal steam room with herbs, which was very relaxing.  For the rest of the night, I smelled all chocolaty which made me want to have even more chocolate, as if I hadn’t already been enjoying way too much (or is there such a thing?).  I had already treated myself to a few of the Imperial Hotel’s tortes, which were like heaven in my mouth with the layers of chocolate and marzipan.  After and incredible ballet performance of Romeo and Juliet at the State Opera House that night, I tried the Sacher Torte, which is reportedly the original torte of Vienna and this one which was made with dark chocolate and it was simply orgasmic.   The guy in the coat check told us it had 800 calories in it, but we got a smaller cube, so I’m guessing it was around half that, or at least that’s what I’m telling myself.  Whatever it contained, it was well worth it!

In addition to being such a romantic city, Vienna is definitely a hip fun place to walk about and shop.  From your typical souvenir shops selling Mozart candy to the noble and glass chandelier maker Lobmeyr, you’ll find it all in the first district.  The naschmarkt is a great food market to walk through.  It opens early and has a few popular staples like the vinegar man from Gegenbauer selling everything from tomato to elderberry to Riesling vinegar and making his own coffee across the way.  You can find a huge selection of dried fruit and nuts and delicious falafel.  If you have a group of ten or more, a fun activity would be to visit the kitchen at the Palais Todesco and learn how to make apple strudel.  It is more difficult than you might think getting the dough perfectly thin and spread out without making a hole!  The Gerstner confectioners showed us how to make the Mozart balls and we decorated our own chocolate tortes, and of course they didn’t need to show us how to enjoy our creations when all the work was done.    Other stops we made on the trip included the Austrian Gallery Belvedere, a beautiful garden palace and museum, the Schoenbrunn Palace, the summer residence of the Habsburgs, and the Imperial Crypt.

For our last Viennese meal, we had a Tafelspitz dinner at Plachutta, which I would highly recommend if you love beef.  We were given the option of over a dozen boiled beef specialties from Schulterscherzl to Tafelsptiz, with a diagram of the cow and with options ranging from the really meaty parts to the fat-free sections,  I say if you’re going for the meal, go all out.  The fat-free just couldn’t compare.  It was first time eating bone marrow as well, and while I know it was fatty, it was yummy and supposedly very healthy for you.

I spent four full days in Vienna and while I thought it might not be enough time, we saw and experienced so much in such a short time.  These are memories that will last a lifetime and for a brief period of time, I was starring in my own real life fairytale and one that I think everyone should experience as some point in their lives.