Vayablog

by Elisa Diodato, Vayable guide shares one of her favorite places to take travelers to in Caballito, a neighborhood in Buenos Aires, that is richly woven with the stories of its community.

If you wish to make a trip back in time, I know a special place in the ancient neighborhood of Caballito. What makes this place so special? It is home to an incredible old barbershop and gaucho’s bar (gauchos= Argentine cowboys).

Besides offering traditional services, the barbershop is also a living museum; and the only living one of this type on this hemisphere! At this barbershop there are over 10,000 collectibles and historical items. The collection includes a 1910 English phone booth, which is still in operation, and the first barber’s chair used in Argentina. Many of the antiques were donated by the shop’s neighbors, while others were rescued from basements and antique shops. Some of these unusual items are more than a hundred years old, making it difficult to guess which is the most valuable or most antique item in the exhibit.

Miguel, the owner of the place, confessed to me: “The piece that cost me the most to get was the basin, the first symbol of our profession. It took me almost nine years to find it. Barbers used to place this kind of metal plate under the neck of the customer when they perform teeth extractions (because the barbers were the first teeth-pullers).”

Those wishing to use the services sit on an armchair from 1905 and dress in old-fashioned clothing. Miguel invites everybody to enjoy his “cultural salon” to develop cultural and social proposals for charity. This is the chosen place in Caballito for the organization of cultural events: from celebrations of national holidays to shows with musicians and guest artists: tango dance shows, and folk and jazz music. All these events serve to help hospitals, homes or schools who need it.

Next to the barbershop there is another invitation to the past: an incredible “pulperia” or gauchos’ bar. Is the only one in the city of Buenos Aires and it is also a museum. Pulperias also provided the gauchos with the possibility to socialize, joining other gauchos to: drink, chat, dance, gamble or play “Payadas.” Payadas was the name of a sort of “duel of words” between two or more gauchos. One of them, accompanying his words with a guitar, would share his misfortunes and reflections with another, creating rhymed verses as he went along.

Payadas are one of the several elements that gave rise to the Argentine Tango creation. Some historians claim that tango was originated in a “pulperia” like this one, and if you join me on this adventure you might find that you agree with them too.

One of our favorite things about traveling is taking in the sights, sounds, and feel of a completely new place. The promise of surprises around every street corner re-creates the excitement of that feeling of first falling in love with someone. Since Valentine’s day is just around the corner, we want to celebrate the most romantic moments in Vayable history!

A Vayable Proposal

At the origins of Paris, we had our first ever Vayable proposal! With some creativity and clever timing, our traveler from the Bay Area traveled to Paris to see his girlfriend and proposed to her in the Rodin Museum after closing time at the end of the tour.

A Surprise Trip to Paris

Our second most romantic experience occurred during a surprise trip to the city of love. Learning about wine and cheese in a cozy castle is sure to result in some sort of deliciousness, and this time, the happy couple ended up coming back engaged as well.

A Birthday Gift that Reminds You of Childhood

Vayable experiences make the best gifts for every occasion! In the lovely city by the Bay, one journalist took his wife on a horseback riding expedition on the beach for her birthday because he knew that she had a childhood love for horses.

This Valentine’s Day, we’re celebrating love. Whether it’s love for that special someone, your friends and family, or even yourself, treat the ones you love to a memorable experience! Check out some romantic suggestions here.

by Whitney Eden, contributing writer

Stressed about what do for your sweetheart? Tired of giving the generic dozen red rose and box of waxy Whitman’s chocolates? Let Vayable take the guesswork out of your romantic gesture this Valentine’s Day. Whether you want to sail the Hudson River or make sweet treats together, Vayable offers experiences that will fit every budget and palate.

Dine and Sail the Hudson, around New York City

Feel the wind whipping through your hair, as water placidly laps the hull of the Second Wind. You just ate a delicious 3-course meal with your sweetheart, watching the sun set over the Catskills. As you sip coffee and eat tiramisu, the boat sails back to the marina. You step ashore, feeling transcendent and peaceful. Within two hours, you find yourself back on the New York City streets, wondering if it was just a dream.

Chocolatiering with Friends, San Francisco

Sure, you can walk to your local market, pick out a box of the finest, overpriced artisnal chocolates and call it a day—but where’s the fun in that? Join Ben, a San Francisco foodie and entrepreneur, to learn how to make your own chocolate. He’ll provide the ingredients (local and healthy, of course) and in-depth instructions, and you’ll be left with a batch of tasty treats. Better yet, you’ll never have to spend $5 on local, organic chocolate again.

Movie Still Photo Shoot, Los Angeles

If you think you and your honey could give Brangelina a run for their money, take them on a cinematographic photo shoot. Recreate photo stills of your favorite movie scenes, whether your tastes lean towards the action-packed or something a little more Hitchcockian. You’ll receive one-on-one direction from Anousha, as well as retouched images that are more than worthy of your mantle place. Just bring your own costumes and an adventurous attitude.

Wine & Cheese Tasting, Paris

Love drinking wine with your beau, but clueless about the difference between a Crozes-Hermitage and Châteauneuf-du-Pape, or which cheese to pair with either? Join Oliver at O Chateau for a crash course on French wines and fromage. You’ll learn all about France’s diverse appellations, as well as how to decode wine labels. Who doesn’t love sipping Champagne and calling it “educational”?

Gay BFF Castro Bar Crawl, San Francisco

For those of you romantically unattached, we recommend enlisting the services of Jeremy, your new gay BFF. Round up a gaggle of your girlfriends and hit the Castro district in style. Drinks, dancing and a good time are guaranteed. And who knows? You may start out the evening single, but anything can happen…

So be creative in showing your love this year with Vayable!

by Adriani León, Vayable Intern

Porteños love Vayable! For those that don’t know, Porteño is the Spanish word for people who live in port towns, specifically Buenos Aires. Vayable has reached out to our community there, and the feedback was amazing. In our talks with our new guides we were blown away by how open people were to this idea and excited to be part of something so fresh.

Meet some of our new guides!

Aigul is a Russian ex-pat who loves blogging and street art. In her tour, she will lead you through Buenos Aires getting lost and discovering street art together.  According to Aigul, “Painted walls say more about the personality of Buenos Aires than museums and books.” Check out her tour here.

Sebastian is a Porteno who believes “Futbol is religion,” and he is equally excited to take you sailing on the River Plate. Sebastian also offers an architecture tour, showing you parts of the city he knows intimately as he works for the city’s tunnels and bridges.

Escaping the Egyptian riots, Ezzat, a professional tour guide who wants to show his city from his perspective, has migrated to Argentina with his girlfriend who is a local. Ezzat now has two loves, finding himself in complete admiration of the beautiful port city and its history. Check out his walking tour here.

To check out everything we have in Buenos Aires, you can go to the page here. City pages and many other great changes coming soon!

by Jeff Smith, contributing writer

Eating local is a big deal. Step into any Whole Foods and that’s clear enough. But what about coffee? Can we join the local food movement when it comes to the other black liquid that seems to run the world? Some intrepid Vayable guides are now making it possible to at least get a little closer to your coffee.

But first, a little background on the stuff: Coffee is a funny thing. According to legend, an Ethiopian goatherder named Kaldi ate some bright red coffee berries after watching his flock get all hot-and-bothered after doing the same. He got juiced up, and immediately took the berries to a holy man who disapproved of their use and threw them into a fire, from which an enticing aroma billowed. The roasted beans were quickly raked from the embers, ground up, and dissolved in hot water, yielding the world’s first cup of coffee. Coffee is pretty simple really: roast the two seeds of the coffee cherry, et voila. Coffee is hand-picked, grown across the equatorial belt, and the second most exported commodity only to oil.

Vayable can now bring you even closer to your favorite beverage. If you’re going to London, imbibe like a revolutionary. It was the coffee shop where the 17th century Consumer Revolution took place – where business transactions happened and a middle class got cultured. Follow Kardelen around London while she shows you the most happening coffee shops in the city.

In Hawaii? No problem. The little chain of islands is home not only to one our our biggest icons but phenomenal coffee. If you’ve heard of Kona coffee, you’ve heard of Hawaii. Get an education from Casey on his coffee in Kula, or take in beauty vistas with Marilyn at an estate 600 feet above sea level in Lahaina.

But, if you happen to be in Thailand and feel a bit more adventuresome, the 2-day, all-inclusive, countryside coffee shop tour by motorcycle (yeah, it’s that epic) with Dane will put you on the edge of your seat even before hitting the espresso.

One of our most loved guides hails from Jackson Heights, one of the most diverse neighborhoods in the New York City area, and was featured on ABC’s The Chew a few days ago!

If you want to check out Jeffrey’s tour for yourself, you can see what he offers here!

by Adriani León, Vayable Intern

Next time you are traveling and want to get your family a gift that is representative of them or your adventures abroad, consider buying your gifts at a flea market! Flea markets offer a marketplace with wide ranges of items to please all tastes and budgets. The items there also tell a rich story about the culture and people of the places they come from.

Here are 6 tips for surviving a flea market and finding that perfect item for a good price!

1. Get comfortable. Wear layers and comfy shoes! A passive bargaining technique is to dress down, this way people make fewer assumptions about you. Be careful, when dressing down, however, to make sure you do so in a context appropriate with local fashion.
2. Plan ahead. If you are looking for a specific item, research some prices online first. You want to know exactly how much you should pay when you find that adorable trinket that reminds you of your childhood.
3. Carry the right tools. Most vendors don’t accept credit cards so make sure to bring cash; vendors will appreciate small bills and exact change. Also, bring some extra bags!
4. Timing. Professional flea market pickers arrive early to get the best items. If you’re not an early bird, or if you are more interested in bargains, consider going late. Vendors appreciate you lightening the load they have to pack up and bring back home, and you might even score some sweet last-minute deals! When the police go to siesta in the afternoon, locals will whip out more belongings to sell!
5. Be Creative. If you end up finding items you were not looking for and can’t leave the market without, find new uses for them: What do you do with an imperfect antique tablecloth? Use it as fabric for clothing or to reupholstering furniture! What do you do with that wool sweater that may have a funky design in the front? Re-purpose the sleeves to leg warmers!
6. Bargaining. The best advice is to be polite and not be afraid to ask. Bargaining, however, is still very hard to pull off- not all of us have the skill. If you find yourself in this category, you might consider the professional services or Marga Binoux.

Aerial view of the Barcelona flea market (photo by Jason Hawkes)

A professional fashionista with experience in costume design, Marga loves shopping. Take a tour with her of Barcelona’s best flea market, which dates back to the fourteenth century. Marga will fill you in on its history, show you the best deals, and she’ll even teach you how to bargain in Spanish! Check out her tour here.

For the truly brave, Marga says come early, “If you like waking up early and don’t mind feeling an intruder in a strange mafia atmosphere, it’s worth it!” You’ll see a melting pot of curiosities sold in lots!

by Adriani León, Vayable Intern

The Bay Area has a long history of progressive green movements, from foraging to school gardens, underground food markets and guerrilla grafting, these activities are supported by people found in community gardens, street food fairs, and thriving farmer’s markets.  We are also one of a few cities pioneering a composting program.

In 2009, the city of San Francisco passed the Zero Waste Initiative, a citywide composting and recycling program whose goal is to reduce the amount of reusable materials that are discarded. This program uses the residents’ discarded food wastes, turns it into compost, and then sells the compost to wineries in the neighboring regions to fund itself.

A lesser-known initiative mandates that 1% of all city funding for new construction goes towards creating green spaces. The last place we think of green in this city is in the financial district unless, of course, you are Marylin Straka. Marylin has devoted her career to making the city accessible to the physically disabled and seniors, wants to give you access to many of the city’s hidden green spaces.

In an effort to make the downtown area more attractive to live in, the city of San Francisco has been greening the financial district for years, but many of these spaces are not so easy to find. Sitting atop rooftops and declared by unassuming plaques there are gardens, courtyards, artifacts, and art available for pubic viewing.

In Marylin’s Tour of Rooftop Gardens, she will lead you through three city blocks without crossing a single street! Take a lavender scented elevator ride with her and discover the green spaces that most locals aren’t talking about. If you work in the financial district, this is a  great tour for discovering spaces to have a secluded lunch, with lots of fresh air. Check out Marylin’s tour here.

by Whitney Eden, Contributing Writer

Nearly halfway into January, our post-holiday glows have definitely faded away. We waited all year for this blissful break, be it a tropical trek or quality time with the family, and it only left us wanting more. So if what are the options if you’ve used up all your vacation days? In the words of Marcel Proust, “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeing new landscape, but in having new eyes.” We’d like to reveal some gems that exist in your own backyard, but we aren’t talking your usual walking tour. Ever want to explore the seedy underbelly of Berlin? What about the vibrant Gospel scene in Harlem? You can do all this and more, without spending beaucoup bucks or valuable vacation days.

San Francisco Motorcycle Tour

With one of most utilized public transit systems in the nation, San Francisco locals often view their city from bus, train or simply from the sidewalk. Want to kick it up a notch? Try checking out the city from the back of a motorcycle. The Kan Brothers offer individualized tours through the city and  there’s nothing like the wind whipping through your hair to make even the most jaded SF local feel giddy.

Harlem Brunch

Even the most jaded New Yorker will feel enlivened by Harlem’s vibrant Gospel scene. Prepare yourself for singing, dancing and soul-stirring sermons. Carolyn, a Harlem native, will be your guide through this vibrant experience, ending with a tasty brunch at a authentic local eatery. Bonus: if you want to explore more of what Harlem has to offer, check out Carolyn’s Harlem Guide iPhone App

Explore Eastside

Whenever someone says “Los Angeles”, our minds naturally go to gridlock, Beverly Hills and ceaseless sunshine. However, Erik opened our eyes to the bohemian side of  version of this spirited city. Check out vintage shops, hip bars and cool cafes; it’s like living in your own personal version of Swingers.

Shanghai Running Tour

A far cry from the traditional tour bus, a running tour through Shanghai might be just the thing for you endorphin junkies. Your fearless leader, Kyle, has 5 marathons under belt, Shanghai street cred and a shared wanderlust. With the aid of a running buddy and an adventurous attitude, Shanghai reveals even more of its vibrant, eclectic allure.

Berlin Bottom-Up

Most tours intentionally keep you away from the more “colorful” parts of town, but Luckie isn’t your normal tour guide. A native Berliner and former taxi driver, he’ll take you through the city’s seedy underbelly, where junkies, punks and squatters frequent, all from the safety of his car.

Passenger Moto Tour of Rio

Without wheels, most of Rio’s most stunning features are often of reach. However, with Stewart’s know-how and motorcycle, you can explore Rio’s coastal roads, active urban areas and dense jungle trails; the only requisites are an adventurous spirit and good weather.

A few weeks ago, we featured Juliann, one of our new interns. This week, we’re introducing Adriani, another one of our fabulous interns! 

Hi! My name is Adriani and I’ve been living in San Francisco for three years. I am originally from the Dominican Republic but having spent most of my life in NYC- I consider myself a New Yorker, A’ight? I attended Brandeis University in Massachusetts where I studied International Relations. I took courses in politics, German and environmental studies- but was mainly attracted to this major because it required interning abroad. I lived in Germany for two semesters and hope to one day return to Berlin. I love Berlin for its street art, doner kebabs, community gardens and pieces of history on every corner.

When I travel I can see the personalities of my friends and family, replicated through people living in other countries, speaking different languages and eating different foods; I love traveling because it teaches me about myself.  I like to travel without an itinerary, walking through a new city by landmarks or streets that need wandering.

My picture was taken last summer in Grenada, during one of the most memorable weeks of my life. I was “playing Jab Jab” during J’ouvert- part of the island’s week long Carnival. Playing Jab Jab requires waking up before dawn, dancing your way to town behind pickup trucks with giant speakers blasting the latest summer hits and smearing colorful paints and motor oil all over any bystanders.

I’ve dedicated my pre- and post- college years to working with immigrant youth, teaching them about sustainability and living healthy lifestyles. Most of my work has been through small, struggling non-profit organizations whose work is SO important but are run very poorly. My current journey is to learn about for-profit business models that have positive impacts on their communities, which is how I found Vayable. Working at Vayable, I’ve had the pleasure of talking to the amazing Porteños that will be leading tours in Buenos Aires and whom I hope to come across some day.