Pennsylvania Girl Abroad

I was a server in various restaurants over the years, both in New York City and in the state of Pennsylvania.  The American standard of tipping is high. We expect 15-20% of the check/bill if we do a good job.  That’s how servers get paid really. The $3 or $4 an hour (not sure what […]

We spent a weekend in Barcelona in February of 2012. We had only moved to London a few weeks before, but were already enthralled by the idea of being able to fly to Barcelona on a short two hour flight away. It was my first time to Spain ever. After a few days of walking, […]

On Saturday, I woke up and was in the mood for a big American style brunch.  I knew my husband would really be enticed to join me at this restaurant if the brunch also include some freshly brewed beer. I found the best combination – Duke’s Brew and Que in Dalston, North London.  We walked […]

This past weekend there was the 29th annual Pig’s Ear Beer & Cider Festival in Hackney, East London.  As “CAMRA” (Campaign for Real Ale) members, it only cost us 2 pounds (about $3.20) to enter. Beer festivals in the UK are very different from what I’ve seen at beer festivals in the US. In the […]

Growing up in small town in Pennsylvania is perfect for anyone who likes home-cooked food, and tummy-warming, sleep inducing portions of authentic American food. I’m still partial to my Nana’s cakes and cookies and generally prefer a juicy hamburger to a steak tartar (although the steak is growing on me!).As my culinary odyssey has matured […]

In Korcula, we decided a great way to see the island would be to rent a scooter! We came prepared with a map of the island, but that’s about it. We had no real direction except to explore and find a small beach where we could spend a few hours. About 25 minutes into our […]

My first time visiting Berlin, Germany was in September of this year.  The city is dynamic and we had a wonderful time. Of course I learned about World War II and the aftermath of it throughout my studies, but actually visiting a city that has all that history makes it an incredibly powerful experience. And […]

We flew into Zurich for a long weekend in October. At the airport car rental counter, the woman seemed to take pity on us when she saw our reservation for the cheapest, smallest economy car possible.  It was anticipated to be a snowy weekend, so she upgraded us for free to a medium size Toyota. […]