Paulette on what’s she’s  learned about a place and its culture through its food…

Central Market, Mombasa, Kenya. Image courtesy Paulette Mitchell

“In my opinion, the local market is the best place to begin in any city. Locals come to the market not just to shop, but also to eat, drink, and to mingle with friends. We are visitors and voyeurs, but the real shoppers in the markets are choosing what to feed their families for dinner. I love to watch how people relate to one another. Sometimes they are jovial, and in other countries everyone seems quite solemn. Some populations are quiet and sophisticated, others more frenzied. Shoppers may bargain, yet in other locales that is not acceptable. When greeting one another, friends may hug and even kiss. Yet sometimes a polite distance is maintained between people. This not only is interesting to view but also offers an incite in how to behave as a traveler.

We are visitors and voyeurs, but the real shoppers in the markets are choosing what to feed their families for dinner.

I like to chat with vendors about favorite recipes using the ingredients at their market stands. I also like to ask them, “What do you do on your day off.” Their minds switch from talking to me as a tourist, and this is how I find some of the most interesting places to go, as well as the best local restaurants.”

The market in Mombasa, Kenya. Image courtesy Paulette Mitchell

In Stone Town, Zanzibar, Paulette discovered a simple yet tasty recipe for Zanzibar Chicken. Scroll down for the recipe!

Paulette’s favorite food markets around the world…

“All food markets fascinate me because they not only offer a feast for the senses but also provide insight into the culture.

Stone Town, Zanzibar. Image courtesy Paulette Mitchell

For example, I love the sophisticated neighborhood markets in Paris, where shoppers arrive without a list and let their five senses take over. In China, freshness in imperative and this is evident in their markets. Live chickens squawk, and fish swim in bins. Even herbs and many vegetables are sold with roots attached so they also are still “alive.” The Chinese believe that food is consumed not only for good flavor but also to promote health, and I think that Americans can learn a great deal from this philosophy.

All is not, however, beautiful and pleasantly aromatic and exploring a local market can force you out of your comfort zone. For example, I’ve witnessed stands of camel heads at the central market in Mombasa, and at sidewalk markets in Luganville, Vanuatu, I was surprised to see piles of fruit bats, which are considered a delicacy in many Asian and Pacific Rim cultures.In Cambodia and parts of Asia, you can smell the pungent odor of durian from afar. So not all is beautiful and pleasantly aromatic. Yet, I love the way that markets show the reality of life around the world.”

Camel Heads in Mombasa’s Central Market, Rambutans in Stone Town, Zanzibar. Images courtesy Paulette Mitchell

So not all is beautiful and pleasantly aromatic.Yet, I love the way that markets show the reality of life around the world.

Paulette on unusual foods she’s encountered…

“When visiting food markets around the world, I seek the distinctive, local ingredients, especially those that are unfamiliar. Rambutan is Malay for “hairy,” and this is the name of a red, spiky fruit native to tropical Southeast Asia. It has now spread to other parts of the world, including Africa. At the Darajani Central Market in the Stone Town area of Zanzibar, the fruit is displayed in colorful clusters in giant bins on the streets. The fruit beneath the hairy exterior is white or pale pink with a sweet, mildly acidic flavor reminiscent of grapes.

I first saw screw pine at a market in Male, Maldives. It’s colorful and photogenic. This fruit, sometimes called pandanus, comes from a tropical plant that grows in rain forests. It changes from green to bright orange or red as it matures. The fleshy pulp of the fruit may be eaten raw or cooked. Sometimes it is pressed to make juice.

Suri Worms and Screw Pine. Images courtesy Paulette Mitchell.

A popular Peruvian food is “suri worms,” a type of Amazonian grub. They are found in the trunks of aguaje palms, which grow in wet areas of South America. Brochettes of this delicacy are skewered and grilled  to make a treat described as “soft, mushy, and delicious.” While in Lima, I photographed vendors selling the worms, but I didn’t have an opportunity to sample this specialty. Maybe next time!”

Paulette’s favorite street food from around the world…

“Street vendors in Mumbai grill corn on the cob over charcoal fires until the sweet kernels are tender and blackened. The corn is then rubbed with fresh lime juice and a potent mixture of spices. The irresistible combination is sweet, tangy, smoky, salty, and spicy.”

Corn on the cob street side in Mumbai, India. Image courtesy Paulette Mitchell

“In Cairo, I just can’t get enough of the traditionally-baked Egyptian pita bread, which rolls out of street-side ovens warm, lightly browned, puffy, and airy on the inside. This bread is the cornerstone of Egyptian cuisine. It’s not only a major component of the meal, but bread is also used as an eating utensil. For me, it’s a welcome snack.”

A baker in Cairo, Image Courtesy Paulette Mitchell.

One of the advantages of taking time to explore food markets and chat with local shoppers and vendors, is discovering new recipes. Paulette shares one of her favorites, a tasty simple chicken dish from Zanzibar. 

ZANZIBAR CHICKEN

Zanzibar is known as the “Spice Island,” and cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, and pepper are essential ingredients in their cuisine. If you have the opportunity to visit Zanzibar, be sure to include a spice plantation tour. It’s interesting to see how spices grow and also to learn about their health-promoting properties. For example, in Zanzibar cinnamon is used as a remedy for headaches.

Makes 4 servings

Chicken thighs are traditional, but this aromatic dish can also be made with boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Serve with rice.

Ingredients

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 1/2 pounds chicken thighs (2 thighs per serving)

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 medium onion, coarsely chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

3/4 cup fresh orange juice

1/4 cup raisins

1/3 cup slivered or sliced almonds

Preparation

Step 1: Combine the cinnamon, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Season both sides of the chicken with the spice mixture.

Step 2: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken. Cook, turning occasionally, for about 10 minutes or until lightly browned but not thoroughly cooked. Use tongs to transfer the chicken to a bowl.

Step 3: Add the onion to the pan. Cook for about 3 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic and stir for about 1 minute.

Step 4: Return the chicken to the pan. Add the orange juice and raisins. When the liquid begins to bubble, reduce the heat to medium. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until the chicken is tender.

Serve: Drizzle some of the sweet sauce over the chicken and garnish with almonds.

You can purchase Paulette’s cook books over here! 

At Project Bly, we believe that a city is a living, breathing organism, and to get to know it you have to wander its streets, the veins that fork and converge and inevitably lead you to its heart—the marketplace.

www.projectbly.com

The post What’s Cooking Around the World appeared first on Project Bly Blog.

Photos courtesy of Derrik Chinn

Photos courtesy of Derrik Chinn

Photos courtesy of Derrik Chinn

How did you start Turista Libre?

Turista Libre actually started in 2009 on the heels of the most violent year in Tijuana’s history, not as a business but as an excuse to entice leery friends in San Diego to see beyond their fears. I’d been living in Tijuana for two years — completely unharmed despite the horror stories everyone in the outside world was reading in the media. So it’s no surprise that rarely would anyone come from San Diego, even if it was just for dinner and a movie.

Photos courtesy of Derrik Chinn

Photos courtesy of Derrik Chinn

From museum expeditions to taco tours to wrestling matches, a Turista Libre tour passes on to visitors what Derrik has experienced since making Tijuana his home: it frees them from cultural inhibitions, giving them a colorful, multisensory immersion into this forever changing, consistently eccentric border town.

Photos courtesy of Derrik Chinn

I think travel is meant to move us beyond the padded walls of our personal comfort zones, which means it’s just as much an internal experience as external. Some of us are naturally designed to move farther than others, but the point is not to compare ourselves in linear distance but rather come as close as possible to a more genuine, conscious version of ourselves as members of humanity, regardless of the physical mileage we go.

The post A Bus Ride Beyond the Borders of Convention appeared first on Project Bly Blog.

Photo credit: La Carmina

La Carmina’s path to success seemed laid out along fairly conventional lines, except for one notable exception. Whether on an annual family trip to Hong Kong or pursuing her JDL at Yale Law School, she remained true to her sartorial self-expression, developing a playful Gothic-Lolita style that drew heavily on both traditional dress and modern couture.But when her career took an unexpected left turn, La Carmina found the perfect venue to showcase her penchant for fashion, ethnicity, and street culture beyond the mainstream.

How did you transition from a budding law career to being a travel and fashion blogger?

It all happened gradually. I started the blog while I was in school, so I developed it first as a hobby. My posts about cute food in Japan and weird theme restaurants got the attention of a literary agent, and by the time I graduated, I had two book contracts. I was able to focus on blogging and related work, and it all grew from there–to TV, travel partnerships, and more.

Why do you travel?

I’m lucky that my family exposed me to travel from an early age. We went to Asia almost every year to see family, and I had been around the US and Europe by the time I was in my teens. Even as a child, I loved seeing new places and feeling inspired by the local culture and architecture. I knew travel would always be part of my life, but I never imagined in a million years that I’d be able to make it my job, and see all these far-off dream destinations.

Photo credit: La Carmina

With her purple hair, cat-eye makeup and penchant for black, La Carmina creates a sartorial base that is both distinctive and oddly universal. In the way that a cartoon can sometimes be a truer rendition than a photograph, her Gothic context makes the details and structure of traditional dress uniquely accessible, be it a Balinese robe or a German dirndl.

Do you ever go out without your signature look? 

All the time. On planes, I’ll wear comfortable clothes, no makeup, and glasses. I’m never without my colorful hair, and my t-shirt may have a bat print on it, but I don’t feel I need to dress to the nines at all times.

Does traveling with such a standout look ever get in your way when exploring a place, or does it help?

 I actually enjoy dressing up in styles that are inspired by the local culture, but still fit my aesthetic. For example, in Bali, I wore an Indian-style outfit–but with my signature purple hair, and hippie glasses! Likewise, I wore rainbow colors in Cape Town (known for its bright Bo Kaap district) and Japanese street style in Tokyo. I feel fashion is a huge part of my personal expression, and a way for readers to make a strong visual connection to the places I’m writing about. Everywhere I’ve traveled, I’ve always gotten positive feedback on my style–and it’s a fantastic way to get conversations started with locals.

Rainbow Village in Taichung, Taiwan
Photo credit: La Carmina

Along with many amazing opportunities with worldwide media outlets (such as National Geographic CNN and the Travel Channel), La Carmina’s inimitable travel style has brought her access to international subcultures that are virtually unnoticed (if not ignored) by outside visitors. While any traveler can benefit from her reports on where to stay, local festivals, and cultural notes, La Carmina offers travel guides specifically for alternative communities whose aesthetics she represents.

Have your particular interests in lifestyle and fashion helped you see sides of destinations that you might not otherwise experience? (Helped you meet certain people, gain certain experiences, etc.)

Marrakech, Morocco
Photo credit: La Carmina

Over the past eight years, La Carmina has covered nearly every major destination of note, from standbys like Paris and Bali to newer trendy destinations like Vietnam and Iceland. She makes herself at home in every place she visits, showing how looking different need be no barrier to accessing the cultural riches all over the globe.

Where is a place in the world where you feel perfectly at home?

I always feel at home in Hong Kong, since my parents are from here and I’ve been coming here annually since I was a year old. Picture walking down the street and looking up and neon signs in Chinese characters, next to cute character posters. You’ll smell Chinese food coming from market stands and local eateries, and hear people talking in Cantonese (peppered with the signature Ai-yahh! expression). The humidity will stand out on your skin, followed by brisk air conditioning as you enter one of the many giant malls. Perhaps you’ll stop for a cup of jasmine tea and egg tarts. Hong Kong is truly a feast for the five senses.

What does your way of traveling bring to the world that no one else’s does?

Hopefully, I can bring awareness to alternative and sometimes misunderstood cultures around the world. Right now, my team and I are delving into the new technology of Virtual Reality, which lets you capture environments in 360 degrees. With a headset, you’ll feel like you are actually traveling with me, in the Fez market or looking over a view of Lisbon! Our most recent virtual reality travel films are found on their Radius VR site–we’re excited to grow this new medium. Check out my La Carmina blog for my latest adventures and add me on Instagram and Snapchat (@lacarmina) to see my latest travels on the go!

Photo credit: La Carmina

The post Uncovering the World’s Alternative Side appeared first on Project Bly Blog.

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1. Energy and Strength Handwoven basket from Marrakech, Morocco

2. Antique Tomoe Japanese Indigo Ikat from Wajima, Japan

3. El Jems Pouch from Tunis, Tunisia

4. Silver Coin Necklace from Bukhara, Uzbekistan

5. Red Dao Brass Memory Bracelet from Ta Phin, Vietnam

6. The New Bohemians: Cool and Collected Homes by Justina Blakeney

7. Modern Blue Earth Striped Bowl from Kanazawa, Japan

8. Orchid Silk Scarf from Bukhara, Uzbekistan

9.Miao Pink Wedding Pillow from Beijing, China

10. Nzuri Agate and Bronze Necklace from Mombasa, Kenya

11. Jazah Suzani from Bukhara, Uzbekistan

12. Jing’an Round Copper Teapot from Shanghai, China

At Bly, we believe in craftsmanship and one-of-a-kind and we are committed to the idea that there is something special in the hand-to-hand transaction. We believe in stories, in history and the way an object can come to encapsulate something much bigger than itself. We believe that a city is a living, breathing organism, and to get to know it you have to wander its streets, the veins that fork and converge and inevitably lead you to its heart—the marketplace. Explore and shop streets of cities around the world at Project Bly. 

The post Bly’s Bohemian Gift Guide appeared first on Project Bly Blog.

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Edmund de Waal inherited a collection of Japanese netsuke— finely carved wood and ivory miniatures animals from an Uncle. The only family heirlooms to survive the Nazis and World War II, de Waal is the fifth generation to inherit these carvings– a hare, a tiger, a rat- and his exquisitely written book, The Hare with Amber Eyes: A Hidden Inheritance, tells the story of his Jewish ancestors through the netsuke. It is a book exploring  memories contained within objects.

I want to know what the relationship has been between this wooden object that I am rolling between my fingers… and where it has been. I want to walk into each room where this object has lived, to feel the volume of the space, to know what pictures were on the walls, how the light fell from the windows. And I want to know whose hands it has been in, and what they have felt about it. I want to know what it has witnessed.

De Waal’s family memoir is a haunting story of the Ephrussi family’s journey from Odessa to Vienna and Paris. It is about loss and resilience, but it is also a book about inheritance and the giving of a gift from one generation to the next. In many cultures, gifts are given to be passed on. We’ve had the privilege of acquiring such gifts from around the world. While we don’t know whose hands they’ve been in and what they’ve witnessed, each one is special; they’re gifts that were given on occasions like weddings and births and were then re-gifted. They’re gifts to create memories with and gifts to pass down to the next generation.

1. Antique Hanging Bell from Mumbai, India

2. Miao Red Chrysanthemum Pillow from Beijing, China

3. Antique Cannetille Pendant from Krakow, Poland

4. Antique Spring Dao Wedding Scarf from Ta Phin, Vietnam

5. Antique Brass Ceremonial Bowl from Malacca, Malaysia

6. Vintage Lacquered Comb and Hair Pin from Kanazawa, Japan

7. Vintage Nkyim Nkyim Kente Cloth from Kumasi, Ghana

8. Antique Brass Anklet from Kumasi, Ghana

9. Four Winds Silver Sinia Tea Tray 

10. Gulnar Vintage Suzani from Bukhara, Uzbekistan

The post Gifts to Pass Down from One Generation to the Next appeared first on Project Bly Blog.

Photo courtesy of Veronica Corzo-Duchardt

Just before completing her MFA at the Art Institute of Chicago, Veronica Corzo-Duchardt returned to New York City for a funeral.

Her grandfather, Neche Eugenio Hadad, was known to others as a meticulous accountant and a devoted grandfather who walked his grandchildren from school to his apartment each day. While waiting for their parents to return from work, he regaled Veronica and her brother with stories of their family’s past generations in Cuba and Lebanon.

But as she grew older, Veronica began to see him as the custodian of the family history, who brought his professional exactitude to the preservation of their heritage.

Photo courtesy of Veronica Corzo-Duchardt

Veronica’s artistic vision has always been rooted in memory and heritage, especially as it shows up in material culture. Her body of creative work explores the significance of commonplace objects and overlooked surface histories; she’s known for using the ephemera of her own everyday life (coffee grounds, sugar, paper scraps) to create textures for her screen prints.

She had long recognized that she was the natural heir to Neche’s role as family archivist. But while looking through Neche’s belongings for birth certificates, immigration documents and photo albums–the important things that that she could take home for preservation–she discovered a treasure trove of ephemera that told her family’s story in a way that words couldn’t convey.

What she found became the Neche Collection, a visual archive that tells this remarkable man’s story, one piece at a time, and elevates everyday objects with evocative meaning.

Photo courtesy of Veronica Corzo Duchardt

Do you think your grandfather identified more as Cuban or as Lebanese? 

“He got his citizenship; he definitely felt like he was American. But I would say that Cuban was dominant. His parents moved to Cuba in 1922 and he was born in 1926; he’d never been to Lebanon. And he never really talked about why his parents came, or anything like that. It influenced him in some of the language and some of the food; my grandmother cooked Lebanese stuff that his mom taught my grandmother to make. But they lived in the midst of lots of other Lebanese people living in Cuba, who had moved for political reasons or just exploring the world in a way we don’t do now.”

Photo courtesy of Veronica Corzo-Duchardt

What was your relationship like with your grandfather?

“My grandfather and I were very close. In a lot of Latino cultures, you sort of grow up with your grandparents always over. He was the one who remembered all the stories from Cuba. He was the archivist of the family. I didn’t realize how much stuff he had, at the time, until I started working with him, recording my grandparents through audio interviews to document some of their story. I’d heard about the fact that he’d shipped a lot of documents and photographs over, which is something a lot of Cuban families did because you couldn’t bring everything with you.

“I think he liked the fact that I was interested in hearing all the stories. But while he was alive, he was very protective and possessive of his things. He didn’t want to share them with anyone.”

Photo couresty of Veronica Corzo-Duchardt

Photo courtesy of Veronica Corzo-Duchardt

Photo courtesy of Veronica Corzo-Duchardt

Photo courtesy of Veronica Corzo-Duchardt

For 29 weeks, the Neche Collection ran live, gathering a cult of devoted followers both in the design world and outside it. Veronica received emails and comments from people around the country who felt their own histories reflected in the objects–histories that couldn’t have been more different from Neche’s.

“I wasn’t really sure how people would react—it’s a really personal project about my grandpa that nobody else knew. But so many people have reached out to me, and really opened up about their own stories. ‘Oh my god! I have that Speak-and-Spell.’ I’ve even had an artist from Iran talking about how some of the items to him spoke of diaspora—the Viewmaster was very significant to him because He realized that was how he as a child encountered American culture, being able to view these cities. That was not at all the relationship I had with the Viewfinder! I think of it as a kitschy, fun object I remember from being younger. It’s really cool that they are able to see their own story in this project.”

Photo Veronica Corzo-Duchardt

Photo courtesy of Veronica Corzo-Duchardt

Photo courtesy of Veronica Corzo-Duchardt

The post A Rich Inheritance Discovered Through Everyday Objects appeared first on Project Bly Blog.

Marrakech, Morocco. Photography by Shantanu Starick for Project Bly.

Despite the medina’s reputation for cacophony, the centuries-old market was still practically deserted as we followed Atman our guide for the day, through the warren of streets. When we arrived, the baker Abdullah was stoking the fire, waiting for his customers to begin arriving. He did not have to wait long. The first was a young boy dressed in his school uniform. He greeted Abdullah formally and they spoke about the boy’s family for a moment before the child dropped off his package and rushed out the door to school.

Abdullah the Baker. Photography by Shantanu Starick for Project Bly.

Abdullah’s ferrane, essentially a stone cavern with a wood-fired oven, is not simply a bakery: it is a communal oven where locals bake their daily loaves. And in Morocco, a country where bread is both ubiquitous and sacred, where a piece of bread dropped on the floor must be retrieved and kissed, and yet where few locals have their own ovens, it is an important local institution. Women in households across Marrakech wake up at dawn every day to mix and knead the dough. By the time the rest of the family has awoken, the dough has been rounded into balls, wrapped in cloth, put on trays – and often handed to a child en route to school to carry to the local ferrane.

On the way to the neighborhood ferrane. Photography by Shantanu Starick for Project Bly

Abdullah, a kind-eyed man with a well-trimmed beard, greeted each customer by name as he pushed the rounds of dough deep into the glowing clay oven. Half an hour later he reached towards the fire with a long paddle and retrieved the now-crusty loaves, known in Arabic as khobz. Carefully, he placed each khobz on the family’s cloth and left the loaves to cool on the racks at the back of the room; at lunch, his customers would collect the baked loaves and, at the same time, drop off dough for dinner. To my untrained eyes, all the loaves looked identical. But Abdullah, who has spent 40 years baking for the neighborhood’s families, told us that he always knew whose bread is whose just by looking at its shape, texture and markings.

Photography by Shantanu Starick for Project Bly.

Stepping out of the warm semi-darkness of the bakery, we made our way to the local markets. We walked past Bab El Khemis, the gate that leads to the local flea market and the road to Fez, and then turned south towards Bab Ailen. Walking along the edge of the city’s walls, we reached the bustling food markets of Bab Ailen. Here, Atman touched his heart as he greeted friends and showed us the stalls where his mother and sister buy their vegetables and the butcher where his father buys sheep to slaughter for special occasions like Ramadan.

Marrakech, Morocco. Photography by Shantanu Starick for Project Bly.

As we walked past a local store selling red brick pottery, Atman pointed to the deep urn-shaped pots, called tanjia. These are necessary to make tanjia marrakshia, not to be confused with the tagine, which is known as the dish of the city’s bachelors: it is one of the only dishes made, almost exclusively, by men. It also requires almost no cooking expertise.

Tangia Seller, Marrakech, Morocco. Photography by Shantanu Starick for Project Bly

Interestingly, tanjia marrakshia is made entirely outside the home. For a man making the meal, the first stop would be the local butcher, where a kilogram of bone-in lamb would be mixed with the butcher’s own ras-al-hanout spice blend before being stuffed into the tanjia. Next, the pot would be carried to the vegetable market and handed over to each stall to be filled up with the necessary ingredients: onions, garlic, parsley, coriander and, finally, preserved lemons. As we continued to walk through the market, Atman explained that here, at the edge of the souks, would be the last stop for ingredients. Spice merchants would sprinkle saffron, cumin and bay leaves into the neck of the tanjia. Only now would the dish be ready to be cooked.

Just as locals bring their bread to the ferrane for baking, though, so must they bring the tanjia elsewhere to be cooked. In an alley behind the hammam, Atman introduced us to Aziz, Aziz is the hammam farnatchi: sitting on a low stool in a room that looks over a pit of white ash, Aziz’s job is to tend the coals that warm the bathhouse’s hot water and steam. His unofficial job, however, is to watch over the cooking of the tanjias.

A bathhouse may seem like an unusual place to cook. In fact, the smoldering ashes create the perfect environment for slow-cooking a rich stew. Over tea, Aziz explained  that he uses his lemonwood spoon to mix all the ingredients together before covering the neck of the tanjia with foil and tying it with string. Motioning into the room, he showed us each of the tanjia pots nestled amongst the ashes; each pot would be retrieved six hours later, once the meat falls off the bones and the bone marrow richness seeps through the dish.

A cup of tea and tangia pots at a hamam. Photography by Shantanu Starick for Project Bly.

At twilight, we made our way Djemma El Fna, the city’s communal dining hall. Hoping to catch a glimpse of someone carrying a tanjia home, we were quickly distracted by the nightly dance of the square. We watched circles form around ancient storytellers and food carts start arriving from the twisting streets. As the evening call to prayer echoed along the walls of the square, friends, families and strangers sat side by side eating everything from lamb brochettes to snail soup. Watching the khobz being passed down the long tables, I remembered a Moorish proverb that we once heard, “that one should choose their neighbors before their house.” It seemed more apt than ever in this city where both eating and cooking were truly communal affairs.

Djemma El Fna. Photography by Shantanu Starick for Project Bly

Atman is available for intimate walking tours of Marrakech. His cell phone number in Marrakech is 212 671234840.

 Katherine Preston writes for Project Bly, a travel site built on the philosophy that to know a city, one must wander its streets. Learn more at www.projectbly.com and follow their travels on Twitter and Instagram.

The post Communities that Cook Together: A Story from Marrakech, Morocco appeared first on Project Bly Blog.

Circo Massimo. Photography by Maurice Carucci for Scooteroma.

Why do people from around the world come to Rome? 

“To visit the Vatican, explore Ancient Rome and get happily lost in the ‘La Dolce Vita.’ Once you visit Rome, it’s hard to shake it. It gets under your skin and you’re never the same again.”

The Colosseum. Photography by Maurice Carucci for Scooteroma.

Both Annie and Giovanni are returned dwellers of the city. Giovanni grew up in the resort town of Fiuggi, an hour outside of the city; after building his hospitality career in London and Spain, he was drawn back by the call of his native land.

For her part, Annie still remembers the moment when, standing under the dome of the Pantheon, she knew for certain that she would someday return to live in Italy.

What do you love about travel? 

“I love the anticipation of the trip. Once I decide I am going somewhere, I start dreaming of what it will be like. I dive right into learning about the history, culture, the people and always a must: the food. And there is nothing that makes me happier than taking photos, in Rome and beyond.

“The first time I left the United States was just after I graduated from high school in Minnesota. I was 17 years old and I went to Europe with my high school band. I have no doubt in my mind that it was this experience that planted the seeds to my unquenchable wanderlust that I still have today. Thank goodness I own a tour company and I can get my fix often!”

Photography by Maurice Carucci for Scooteroma.

Scooteroma takes individuals and small groups on themed journeys around Rome…on a Vespa scooter. Guided by vespisti, locals who are as knowledgeable about maneuvering the tiny vehicles as they are about the city. For those who prefer a slower pace, bicycle tours are also available. But Annie asserts that covering the city on these iconic vehicles offers an experience unmatched by any other.

“What you see on a Vespa in four hours would take four days on foot or with a bicycle. But most importantly, it’s how you feel when you are zipping through the traffic like a local—it is so exhilarating. It is why I moved here and why I stay.”

What does a Scooteroma tour tell people about Rome that they wouldn’t otherwise learn?

“Since our clients ride with the locals, not only do you discover different parts of the city that you would never find on your own, or are not accessible by foot, you really get to experience a different side of the city with Scooteroma. We like to call ourselves ‘concierges on two wheels’ because we love to give our clients tips on where to eat, drink, shop and how to mix in with the Romans.”

Annie and the vespisti crew. Photography by Maurice Carucci for Scooteroma.

After a decade in Rome, Annie’s passion for the city has only grown stronger. She adores the city’s electric energy, from threading the needle during centro’s rush hour traffic to relaxing with friends over a Mont Blanc from Cinque Lune Pasticceria, from the smell of roasted chestnuts rising from the Piazza di Spagna to revisiting her favorite place in the world, the Pantheon, where she never fails to touch the bronze doors as a talisman of that first moment when Italy entered her heart.

“Rome is such a layered city; hidden gems are waiting for you around every single corner. My advice is to make your own itinerary and always walk on the parallel street that everyone else is walking on. You just need to go one street over and you will discover a completely different world.

What surprises most people visiting Rome for the first time? 

“Rome is known for so many things, but most people don’t know that Rome is also famous for its water. It is truly a city of fountains! All the water running through Rome comes from the ancient Roman aqueducts. So just bring a water bottle and fill it up at all the public water fountains through town called nasone. It’s the best water in Italy if not the world. Extra bonus? It’s free!

“One of my favorite streets in Rome (I have many as you can imagine) is when we scooter down Via Panisperna in Rione Monti. The view of the neighborhood with this huge green ivy hanging across the street is what dreams are made of and makes you keep coming back for more.”

Photography by Maurice Carucci for Scooteroma.

“Rome is called The Eternal City because it has always been here and will still be standing long after we’ve come and gone. Every time I scooter around the Colosseum, I’m seriously humbled and reminded that us modern day Romans breathe new life into Rome. Therefore, it will probably thrive forever.”

Click here to learn more about Scooteroma and their custom-curated tours of Rome, Tuscany, the Amalfi Coast and many other cities in Italy.

Chelsea Batten is a journalist and photographer who writes a regular column on Project Bly featuring travelers, photographers, adventurers and doers across the globe. If you’re a traveler with a story to tell, email her at holler@chelseabatten.com. 

At Project Bly, we believe that a city is a living, breathing organism, and to get to know it you have to wander its streets, the veins that fork and converge and inevitably lead you to its heart—the marketplace.

www.projectbly.com

The post When in Rome, Scooter as the Romans Do appeared first on Project Bly Blog.

Growing up in southern California, my family was the envy of friends and relatives for living in the “perfect place.” So it was with confusion, consternation and, ultimately, resignation that my parents regarded my determination to travel the world. Starting with a month in Buenos Aires (where my eagerness to learn tango was looked askance by my missionary hosts), I made my way with more enthusiasm than common sense through France, Austria, Scotland, Mexico, Italy, the Netherlands, and Uganda.

Chelsea, and her jeep, “The General”

In 2008, I finally came home to roost in the US, intending to build a life and career in New York City. Only a few short months later, it occurred to me that I knew very little about the United States between the coasts. Thus came the untimely end of the New York City plan. (Full disclosure: I wasn’t sorry to leave it.)

These days, I travel around North America in a ’93 Jeep Cherokee, seeking out the extraordinary stories of seemingly ordinary people. From an Appalachian country dance in Asheville, Nc. to a Deadhead gathering in Marin County…from a house full of circus performers in Phoenix, Az. to an enclave of Colombians living in Quebec…I’ve found that the most amazing stories are the ones hiding under cover of daily life.

Here at Project Bly, I’ll be bringing you these stories each week from like-minded world travelers who prefer the road less traveled by. You’ll find profiles of photographers and chefs, yoga teachers and nonprofit workers, expats and nomads, and everyone in between. People with passions and projects that highlight the vibrant daily life of cities around the world.

Join us as we explore the world one street at a time. Subscribe to our newsletter for updates, or send us a tip on a great story that we should cover.

Project Bly is a website built on the philosophy that to know a city, one must wander its streets. 

www.projectbly.com

The post Stories from the Road: Chelsea Batten appeared first on Project Bly Blog.

Photography by Karim Iliya, courtesy The Thread Caravan.

“Craft tourism seems like an ideal way to support their needs while also helping to preserve their customs and educating other Americans about their culture.”

A mere year’s worth of planning and fundraising later, Caitlin was leading her first weaving workshop on a one-week sojourn in Guatemala. A Thread Caravan voyage takes small groups of intrepid travelers past the usual tourist destinations into the heart of a region’s culture. The portal into this deeper experience is indigenous craft—textiles, food, music, construction—that has been practiced there for generations.

Photography by Karim Iliya, courtesy The Thread Caravan.

Participants sit at the feet of indigenous artisans, who guide them in reproducing these textiles for themselves. In between sessions, they explore the landscape, enjoy the hospitality of local hosts, and peruse the markets to learn how today’s designers incorporate traditional crafts into modern creations.

Photography by Karim Iliya, courtesy The Thread Caravan.

Each voyage is carefully curated by Caitlin herself, whose particular travel-lust mirrors that of many travelers—a desire to stay and connect by adopting the local rhythm of life.

“Starting this company seemed like a great way to support craftspeople, but through experiences rather than physical products…and who wouldn’t want to go travel somewhere, meet the locals and make art with them?”

Photography by Karim Iliya, courtesy The Thread Caravan.

The lush landscape of jungles and volcanos, the rural villages roamed by chicken busses and tuk-tuks, and the artisanal practices engrained over centuries made Guatemala a natural choice for Thread Caravan’s inaugural workshop.

Photography by Karim Iliya, courtesy The Thread Caravan.

The trip begins with a visit to the village of San Juan, where participants learn about local dyeing techniques. Next, they venture deep into the highlands over Lake Atitlan to learn about spinning thread. Finally, the group stay in the town of Panajachel, where they work on weaving their own designs.

Photography by Karim Iliya, courtesy The Thread Caravan.

Lake Atitlan. Photography by Karim Iliya, courtesy The Thread Caravan.

By and large, the workshops are led by women artisans who, in addition to teaching the textile techniques, offer stories of how their ancient crafts had helped them reconstruct life in the wake of tragedy.

“One artisan group we work with in a town called Chuacruz was greatly affected by the recent Civil War,” Caitlin says. “Many of the men were killed, leaving the women and children to fend for themselves. The women have since created an artisan cooperative, using art to support their families. The stories had both the artisans and our participants shedding tears of sadness and hope. Connections like this make me feel like we are on the right path, and achieving our goals of facilitating deeper connections.

“Some Guatemalans compare the backstrap loom to an umbilical cord, saying the creative process is like birth in which something new enters the world. Despite the machismo culture here, the women here are very powerful and strong. They are determined to support their families and communities.”

Photography by Karim Iliya, courtesy The Thread Caravan.

A lifelong artist, Caitlin knew that creating art alongside natives would be a powerful portal into their world. But by becoming a student of a local art form, a Thread Caravan traveler gains insight into more than simply a region of the globe.

This, says Caitlin, is how Thread Caravan cultivates one of the most important by-products of travel:

“It challenges you to think differently about things that are engrained in your social upbringing. I think it’s important for everyone to step out of their bubble so we can learn how to be empathetic towards people from different circumstances, and for us to address some of the global problems going on.”

Take, for example, the power imbalance that accompanies much global tourism. Caitlin reports with satisfaction that after a few days of learning from indigenous artisans, Thread Caravan participants abandon the tired touristy custom of bargaining down the price of a handmade souvenir. It’s hard to quibble over a few American dollars once you know the process that goes into creating these items.

By joining Thread Caravan in upcoming trips to Oaxaca, Alaska or Polynesia, travelers will learn much more than how brew mezcal, carve totem poles, or build dugout canoes.

Photography by Karim Iliya, courtesy The Thread Caravan.

“Art that serves more of a purpose than just creating it. With Thread Caravan we are helping provide artisans with a livelihood, helping to preserve their artistic traditions, and connecting people from different cultures around the world for them to learn from one another.”

Learn more about The Thread Caravan’s upcoming trips over here including a trip to Oaxaca, Mexico this November!

Chelsea Batten is a journalist and photographer who writes a regular column on Project Bly featuring travelers, photographers, adventurers and doers across the globe. If you’re a traveler with a story to tell, email her at holler@chelseabatten.com. 

At Project Bly, we believe that a city is a living, breathing organism, and to get to know it you have to wander its streets, the veins that fork and converge and inevitably lead you to its heart—the marketplace.

www.projectbly.com

The post Crafting the Perfect Trip in Guatemala appeared first on Project Bly Blog.