And The World’s Most Expensive Starbucks Is…

by Megan Fernandez on

Coffee addicts bound for Scandinavia might want to consider a dip in an icy fjord as an alternative morning pick-me-up. The Wall Street Journal has calculated that a grande latte in Oslo will run Americans a jolting $9.83.

Helsinki and Stockholm are also cities offering the top five most expensive Starbucks lattes once the dollar is converted into the local currency.

The paper did the math on 25 major cities around the world (including Beijing at $4.81) to illustrate an economic principle called “purchasing-power parity,” or “a crude way to compare the relative strength of currencies.” Of course, avid travelers don’t need this Starbucks-green bar graph to know that the peso is a lot friendlier to gringo wallets than the euro is, but that conventional wisdom doesn’t always translate in the language of Starbucks economics. Otherwise, how would one explain that a grande latte in London is cheaper than one in Atlanta, despite the dollar’s weakness in the U.K.?

According to the WSJ, most foreign Starbucks are significantly pricier than the U.S. outlets it also includes, but hey, maybe that’s what average Joes deserve for patronizing an American company overseas instead of opting for a local purveyor.

How much is too much to nurse your Starbucks addiction abroad?

[Photo Credit: The Nomad Within via Flickr]

Book Review: ‘The Food Traveler’s Handbook’

by Meg Nesterov on

Full disclosure: I know Jodi Ettenberg, author of “The Food Traveler’s Handbook.” I’ve eaten with Jodi and explored cities with her; she’s even inspected the spices in my Istanbul sublet apartment. Rather than let my friendship with her just guarantee a great review of her book, I will use it to vouch for the fact that she’s the perfect person to write a food guide for travelers: intrepid, resourceful, curious and (of course) always hungry.

On the road full time since 2008, Jodi has explored the world through food on her blog Legal Nomads. To keep costs down and her palate happy, Jodi strives to eat as locally as possible, chasing down the best street eats, cab driver hangouts and mom-and-pop restaurants. With this handbook, she shares her tips and resources for eating well, cheaply, and safely anywhere in the world. The guide is peppered (pardon the pun) with anecdotes from Jodi and other travelers (blogger Nicola Twilley recommends revisiting a market at different times of the day for different experiences), quirky facts (how about a 1742 recipe for ketchup that will keep for 20 years?!) and guidelines for local dining culture (you’ll keep getting your coffee refilled in Jordan until you learn the proper way to shake the cup and signal you’ve had enough). The book is infused with an enthusiasm and passion for food that’s contagious, and you may quickly find that planning a tour of the world through dumplings seems like a must.Jodi’s travel style may not be for everyone – some people crave familiarity and easy comfort, especially when traveling, and the prospect of eating a mysterious dish at a tiny food stall might be daunting. But for those looking to expand their horizons through food, connect with locals while traveling or just get a good meal without risking food poisoning, “The Food Traveler’s Handbook” is worth tucking into. Just be wary of reading it on an empty stomach, or you might find yourself, as I did, propelled out of bed at 8 a.m. with a strong craving for soup.

“The Food Traveler’s Handbook” is available in paperback and as an e-book for Kindle. Additional books in the Traveler’s Handbooks series include guides for Career Breaks, Solo Travel, Luxury Travel and Volunteer Travel. Additional resources for food travelers can also be found on Jodi’s blog here.

[Photo credit: Jodi Ettenberg]

Great Hotel Bars Where You Can Celebrate National Margarita Day

by McLean Robbins on

If you thought Cinco de Mayo was the only holiday where you could celebrate your love for margaritas, think again. Today (February 22) is National Margarita Day. Yes, it’s a real holiday. No, there are no rules on whether you need to enjoy your libation on the rocks, frozen or swirled. We’re partial to the latter. To help whet your appetite (or give you inspiration for your at-home creation), we’ve rounded up a few of our favorite hotels where you can sip the famed tequila-lime concoction.

His and Hers at The Modern Honolulu

Drawing inspiration from a well-known book, the library-themed lobby bar at The Modern Honolulu, The Study, serves masculine and feminine takes on the traditional margarita. The Men Are From Mars includes Jose Cuervo Traditional tequila with St. Germaine elderflower liqueur, a dash of olive gastrique and a float ($14). The Women Are From Venus is Jose Cuervo Traditional tequila kissed with St. Germaine elderflower liqueur and sweet and sour “a la minute,” served up with a bonnet of cabernet ($14).

A Margarita of a Different Color at Tanque Verde Ranch

Tanque Verde Ranch takes pride in helping guests relax with the Ranch’s specialty Prickly Pear Margarita. This margarita is made with reposado tequila, Cointreua, Drambuie, bitters, freshly picked prickly pear juice from an on-property harvest, agave nectar and lemon, garnished with a lime ring.

Some like it Hot at Teton Mountain Lodge & Spa
The hotel’s Spur Restaurant & Bar serves a margarita sure to warm visitors up during cold winter months. Executive Chef Kevin Humphrey’s Spicy Margarita combines infused jalapeño tequila, muddled citrus, a passion fruit or blood orange puree, and is finished with a classic salted rim.


Keep it Classic at The Lodge at Tiburon
Tiburon Tavern at The Lodge at Tiburon has an upscale play on a classic with Matadora Gold Tequila, sweet agave nectar and fresh fruit juice, served over ice with a Gran Marnier float.


Go Artisinal at The Iroquois
Lantern’s Keep, at The Iroquois in Manhattan’s Theater District is known for serving perfectly crafted artisan cocktails. Celebrate National Margarita Day with their “Tequila Maid” made with tequila and lime, shaken with mint and cucumber.

If tequila is not your amigo… try Rancho Bernardo Inn
The Bar at this hotel serves a highly untraditional margarita, substituting the routine tequila for gin. The Rancho Gin-A-Rita showcases Nolet Gin, diced cucumbers, a dash of cilantro, agave nectar and a splash of orange juice and triple sec.

[Image Credit: Teton Mountain Lodge & Spa]

Photo Of The Day: Wine Tasting

by Meg Nesterov on


What makes you enter an unfamiliar shop in a new city? An inviting window display? A big crowd (or lack thereof)? How about a funny sign like this Brooklyn shop, which advertises, “delicious free booze poured by a crazy French guy”? They had me at “delicious” and “free” wine; the French guy is just icing on the cake. It helps that the store looks cozy and friendly; the sign helps to show off their personality.

Share your favorite travel signs for the Photo of the Day by adding to the Gadling Flickr pool or tagging us on Instagram.

[Photo credit: Flickr user Mike GL]

San Francisco’s Mobile Eateries: SOMAny Food Trucks, So Little Time

by Laurel Miller on


In a city like San Francisco, there’s so much to love, it’s easy to veer into bad poetic cliche (the fog rolling in on the Golden Gate; how, on unseasonably warm days, the entire city appears to be picnicking on every available patch of green; the dreamy views of the bay from the top of Pacific Heights).

There are other things about SF that rock, however, despite an obvious lack of romanticism. There’s the food truck scene, for example, which in less than five years has become a firmly entrenched part of the city’s culture. Like SF’s ethnic restaurants, the trucks roam the culinary map, from Eritrea and Malaysia to the Philippines, Hawaii, India, the Deep South, Latin America, and even, god help us, dessertlandia (cupcakes have nothing on the crème brûlée truck).

I’ve written before about Off the Grid (OTG), the ginormous, weekly food truck fiesta held down at Fort Mason (there are other, smaller venues and food truck “pods” in SF, the East Bay, South Bay, and Marin County, as well). Featuring over 40 trucks, music, and stellar views of the Bay, it’s become a beloved celebration of all that’s great about life in San Francisco. My favorite vendors include The Chairman (as in Bao), and Gohan.

I’ve been to OTG before, but until last week, I’d never visited its more urban equivalent, SOMA strEAT Food Park. Located just south of Market Street (SOMA), this formerly dumpy, sketchy block has been transformed into an oasis, complete with landscaping, attractive seating areas, music, a beer garden, and an indoor tent for inclement weather. SOMA has long been an up-and-coming ‘hood for hipsters thanks to its bars, cafes, and restaurants, but it’s also convenient to the Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA), Metreon entertainment complex, Yerba Buena Gardens, Moscone Center and the Union Square shopping district.

Unlike OTG, the Food Park is also open daily. A number of the same vendors work OTG and the Food Park (which has different vendors every day), but others are unique to each location. My favorite at the Food Park is Adam’s Grub Truck, which specializes in Pacific Rim-inflected sandwiches that are the bomb. There’s also Del Popolo, inarguably the most famous – and high-tech – food truck/pizzeria on wheels in the nation. It alone is worth a trip down to SOMA.

Whether you head to OTG for the scene, selection and bayside location, or the strEAT Food Park for a convenient shopping or cultural break, you’ll come away stuffed, satiated and waxing a little poetic about SF, yourself.

[Photo credit: Flickr user Gary Soup]