We Love San Francisco
At Everplaces we get to travel quite a lot. Today our CEO Tine Thygesen came back from San Francisco. Here she shares the best from her trip.
I love San Francisco. Its one of the most vibrant and friendly cities I know. And the views are wonderful. It has to be up there with Sydney for the best views of any city. Not only because of the quality of the views but also for the mere quantity of them. Because the city is built on hills and surrounded by water, bridges and more hills it simply has stunning vistas no matter where you turn.
The second reason I love it is for its pulse. It’s an open and welcoming culture where everyone contributes to the melting pot of tastes, smells and music. This creates a fabulous scene for food, nightlife and culture.
Here are some of my favorites from this trip.
This is where the locals come for their daily exercise and to admire the views of their wonderful city. You can see both Golden Gate and the Bay Bridge and get a good view of Twin Peaks. Its quite the experience watching the fog roll in, which in August is around 7 pm.
Concept restaurant that only serves food within 100 miles radius of the place. This, when you’re in Northern California means you can still get everything in delicious produce and wines, so there’s nothing lacking. Also good (of course local) wine list and great for group dinners. Photo is courtesy of their fb page.
Book Passage is one of the few old-fashioned bookstores left in the States. Bookstores are places filled with wonder and magic for me, and some of my favorite places of culture. This one has been run by the same family, the Petrocellis, for decades and retains a cosy, friendly ambience and a great selection, also in smaller genres.
Quintessentially San Francisco. Tiny, friendly gay bar with the most wonderful low-key drag show. When I was there the showstopper was a fabulously overweight 50-year-old man dressed in a tight fitting velvet one-piece, collecting one dollar notes into his bra.
This is truly a city that puts a smile on your face and I have lots of recommendations to share here; my most recent ones, which includes surrounding areas can be found here and my full collection of San Fran places, which includes previous trips can be see here. From both you can save places you’d like to visit one day to your own collection.
Check out what our featured users love in San Fran
A Short Getaway in Prague
Last week was a travel week in our office. A few of our team members have been out and around in Europe exploring beautiful sights. Here is a little story from our Head Designer, Angelica Vargas, who traveled to charming Prague.
I’ve been wishing to visit Prague for years, not just because of the beautiful architecture or the great beer, but mainly because of my all times favorite writer Milan Kundera, who happens to be Czech. Some of his books are set in Prague and I wanted to experience the city a bit through his lens, so the first thing I packed for my trip was my book ‘The Unbearable Lightness of Being’.
Loved reading it again while being exactly there. Walking the streets of Prague got an extra dimension, and apart from admiring the prettiness, I could also think about the city struggles during the communist years or how would the characters look like and stand at the places they described.
Prague is beautiful and I’m glad we met at last. Some highlights of my trip:
Love this funky TV tower. The babies crawling on it are by controversial Czech sculptor David Černý and were only added in 2000. You can go 93m up with an elevator for a view of the city.
Great Asian fusion food served in small portions so you can taste a lot of different things. The place decor is really cool and they have a bar and club too.
Perfect place for a cocktail in a nice area of town. The place looks a bit like a movie setting… old books, red leather coaches and nicely styled waitress and barman to match.
Nice bakery and coffee shop with a cool brand. Good place for a quick bite or a glass of wine in town.
Tower on top of Petrin Hill, you can walk up (or take the lift) for cool views of the city.
You can see Angelica’s Prague collection here.
JUZCAR - A SMURF VILLAGE IN SPAIN
Guest post by photography and travel enthusiast Mela Mörtenbäck
Here I am – back from my road trip through Spain and Portugal, with loads of great places to share with the Everplaces community. Let’s start with Júzcar, a small Spanish village in the heart of Andalusia.
Hearing the hard facts about Júzcar, one would never consider this village as that special place it actually is. But in 2011 the small village in the province of Málaga was chosen to host the premiere of the Smurfs movie. Therefore, the white-washed buildings were painted entirely in that unique Smurf blue.
This is where the amazing story of Júzcar actually begins. Although Sony Pictures promised to return the village to its former white color, the 221 inhabitants voted to keep the buildings painted blue as due to the new awareness the number of tourists increased from 300 a year to an estimated 80.000 in the first sixth months.
Today, on June 16th, Júzcar celebrated its first anniversary as „Pueblo Pitufo“ and tourists still have the chance to take guided Smurf-tours to discover the uniqueness of the village. In addition, the village holds regular events such as a Smurf moonlight fun run, Smurf painting competitions and Smurf trade fairs.
Make sure to visit this lovely place when you’re in the province of Málaga, save it to your collection on Everplaces and check out some of my impressions.
By guest blogger Mela Mörtenbäck, passionate traveler and hobby photographer from Tyrol, Austria. Mela loves to combine traveling and photography by exploring new cities. You can see her full collection on Everplaces here.
FEATURED PROFILE: Mark and his wide, open roads collection
We love to see people using Everplaces in creative ways. This week we are happy to introduce Mark, from Texas, USA.
I was looking for a website that would help integrate my personal choices for future travel with my Google Maps. Everplaces was just the site and I have enjoyed making a personal collection that gives me a thumbnail image of places that inspire me to live life to the fullest. They say that pictures say a thousand words, likewise when I visit my collection I get lost in a sea of thoughts that let me travel to distant destinations. If you couldn’t tell by now, I have a slight inclination towards Switzerland…
Check out Mark’s collection on Everplaces.
A LOVELY MORNING IN STOCKHOLM
By Katie Palmer, student, writer and avid traveller from Seattle, USA
I just returned from my first visit to Stockholm, and I left kicking and screaming. I fell in love with the city (or more specifically, their people, coffee, art, design, architecture, and just about everything) and it was hard to leave. Though it can be called “too touristy,” I decided to stay in Gamla Stan, or “Old Town,” because it was centrally located and looked to be oozing with charm.
I stayed in Castanea Old Town Hostel which is a cozy hostel housed in century-old walls, yet has embraced modern Swedish design. Their cleanliness was immaculate, their kitchen and lobby inviting, and their beds extremely comfy.
The next morning (after the best night’s sleep I’ve ever had on a hostel bed) I meandered over to the main square of Gamla Stan and made my way toward the first place serving coffee I could find.
It ended up being Café Kaffekoppen, a coffeehouse and restaurant that serves up a fabulous cup of filter coffee, exquisite cinnamon rolls, fresh meals, and hot chocolate in a huge bowl. In a word, this place was extremely hip. I returned every morning for the rest of my trip.
A stone’s through away from Kaffekoppen is the Nobel Museum, which I had to explore since I was in Sweden (where so much history is associated with the prize). Though the museum is small, it is worth an hour if you are interested in these fascinating winners. They have some great footage screening in their mini-theaters.
Though there were mobs of tourists crowding the narrow streets of Old Town in the afternoons, I would wake up early and browse the trendy shops, grab a cup of coffee (always with a cinnamon roll of course), and enjoy the lovely, quiet mornings of historic Stockholm.
This is just a sneak peek into some of the cool spots Katie discovered in Stockholm. Check out her collection on Everplaces to browse and draw inspiration from all her Stockholm recommendations.
BUDAPEST ON 24 HOUR’S NOTICE
Guest post by Anne Ditmeyer, graphic designer / blogger behind Prêt à Voyager
Recently I got a last minute invitation to go to Budapest for a few days with my friend Laurel. It was a last minute invitation, as we’d be hopping on a plane a 24-hours later. But that’s the best perk of being a freelance graphic designer / editor, I can set my own schedule and work from anywhere. Granted, more fun than work happened that trip, but I said yes, and a getaway with a good friend was just what I needed.
We didn’t really use the guidebook, but we did follow the wisdom of my friend who had recommended Printa Café, a coffee shop / boutique / letterpress studio and gallery she know I’d love. This tip set us on the exact track we wanted to be in.
I bought an incredible hand-printed map of the city made in their printshop, which with the help of a few additional tips from the shop worker got us to our next stop: a fantastic beer garden on a beautiful day. Szimpla is a “ruin bar” where you can sit in car parts, or in a bath-tub upstairs (where there are cheap eats).
For me, Everplaces (follow me!) is one of those places online I know I can go to find likeminded travelers to find that one place in a new city that’s going to help set me in the right direction and explore “my kind” of places. I actually don’t plan much when I travel, so I just like to have a few priorities and wing it from there. This style of travel actually inspired me to start a column on my blog called High Five, which documents my five favorite places.
I’m crazy about maps, so that’s one of my favorite features of using Everplaces, but I also love that I can share the link to my favorite places next time I have a friend going to Budapest.
You can find my full High Five: Budapest post here and browse through all the special places I'v found in Budapest and around the world on everplaces.com/pretavoyager
Photos by Anne Ditmeyer
OFF THE BEATEN TRACK IN AUSTRALIA
Guest post by graduate, entrepreneur and blogger Alexander Hold
”To Travel is to Live” that was what the famous Danish writer Hans Christian Andersen wrote, and I think he is right. As a student in a faraway land there is one thing that is a bit more exciting than studying. That is traveling.
I have spent a year in Australia, finishing my Double Degree in Business Administration and gladly this has allowed me to travel this amazing country. I have on my journey discovered and experienced many magnificent places and Everplaces has allowed me to bookmark these places to be remembered and shared with friends and family.
I have found myself being asked by many, for recommendations of places to see when traveling north or south, and I always tend to forward the link of my Everplaces profile, where I have shared some of my greatest experiences in Australia. With the map service on Everplaces my friends can easily be inspired when planning their next Australian road-trip. Here are some of my favourite discoveries:
Teddy’s Lookout, The Great Ocean Road - Located on the hill of the little coastal town of Lorne on the Great Ocean Road of Victoria, Australia. It is listed in all the major travel books, but is very quiet and hardly ever found by tourists. The lookout features probably the greatest view of the Great Ocean Road and if you are lucky you might spot a Koala napping in the eucalyptus trees.
State Library of Victoria - It is not considered a tourist spot, but a place of great learning for the students and scholars of Melbourne. However, any tourist in Melbourne should allow him- or herself to walk in to this palace of knowledge. Stroll along the rows of books and enjoy the atmosphere of this grand place. Just entering will make you feel smarter.
Natural Bridge, Springbrook National Park - Australia is a land of great national parks and Springbrook National Park is a very spectacular one. On the back side of Purlingbrook falls and the main Springbrook park is a little hidden place with the name of Natural Bridge. Natural Bridge is an impressive natural phenomenon where water has cut itself through the cliff and into the cave.
Korana Crocodile Farm - It is what the name implies and is a great afternoon stop for anyone passing by Rockhampton. At Korana you can get a tour of the farm and see how crocodiles as anyother farm animal are part of a production line that supplies delicious products for us to consume. However, Crocodile Farming is not just any kind of farming.
Studying in Australia has been an absolutely amazing experience and having had the opportunity to travel is what expands ones horizon. You can only study so much, but at a certain point you will have to experience for yourself. “Don’t tell me how educated you are, tell me how much you have travelled.” – Mohammed.
Check out Alexander’s amazing collection and insider recommendations in Australia
Photos by Alexander Hold and Sara Bossany
DISCOVER AND SAVE PLACES QUICKLY
Discover new places with EXPLORE
In the Explore field you can browse through inspiring places added by our featured users around the world. Search for specific destinations and categories and save the places that you like to your Everplaces collection. Two easy ways:
1. From the thumbnail – hover over the place and click ‘Save’
2. Click on the place to view more details and browse through other places added by the user. In the place view you can click on ‘Add To My Collection’ button to save the place.
The new place will be added to your collection, and you can easily edit it if needed - add more photos, notes, etc. to make it more personal.
INSIDER’S HONG KONG
Guest post by Hong-Konger, coffee addict and food and drink journalist Charmaine Mok
I’m originally from Calgary, Canada, but since I haven’t been back there for 17 years, I consider myself a half Hong Konger, half Londoner - my family is from the former, and it’s where I now live (again) after spending the last seven years in London.
Eat with the locals at shops and dai pai dongs whose ownership spans decades – tofu-phobes might just change their minds after a bowl of the silkiest tofu-fa dessert at Kung Wo Soybean Factory, a rustic local joint famed for its beany products.
Tak Hing Lung, hidden behind the market stalls in North Point’s Marble Road, is its equal on the island side.
Or have a scrambled egg sandwich and macaroni-in-soup breakfast at the chaotic Australian Dairy Company (note: it has nothing to do with the Aussies), where the scarily-efficient waiters can clear the tables and take your order at the same time.
The streets are lined with so much to see – take the rusting facades of the old Yau Ma Tei Wholesale Fruit Market, which still runs in the wee hours of the morning. It’s in close proximity to a former Art Deco-style soft-porn cinema, which has recently relaunched as a venue for classic Chinese opera - still hitting those high notes, then. 
Hong Kong isn’t just about Blade Runner-esque skyscrapers; one of my favourite getaway spots is further up north in the mountains, Tai Mo Shan to be exact, though I’m there more for the old-school dim sum at Choi Lung than the hiking trails (which are excellent, I hear). It isn’t always easy living here – high rents, pollution, a shambles of a government to name a few vices – but every time someone comes to visit me and I get to play tour guide, I’m again reminded about how much this petit island has up its silk sleeve. Hopefully my recommendations will show you the lesser-seen side of Hong Kong.
SECRETS OF SPANISH GASTRONOMY
Guest post by foodie, cinnamon tea lover and Malaga native Francisco Pinto
Most of my current spots in Everplaces are in Spain. This is a nice country with an enviable climate and gastronomic culture. Spanish cuisine has a wide selection of dishes. It is said that our mountainous orography acted as a natural barrier to communication among regions until the last century and that had an influence on the food. Our cooking methods and ingredients remain simple and unalterable for centuries. Our essential ingredient is always a trickle of olive oil. If I would have to mention three typical dishes they would be: tapas, Spanish omelette and Iberian ham.
We have a lot of cafeterias and, specially in the south, tearooms. If you like to drink something special, Moroccan tea — green tea with mint leaves — is a must. Personally, I taste brewing black tea with slices of cinnamon and star anise sweetened with maple syrup. Check out my favourite tea house on Everplaces.
As I am a big fan of Moleskine notebooks, I filled them up with map clippings and notes for all the places I wanted to go to. After visiting them, if the place was not worth it, then I crossed it off the list. However, it had some snags. Sharing was unbearable. When friends asked me for recommendations, I had to scan the pages.
Later smartphones became popular and after a couple of geolocation services I came across Everplaces. It is pretty much what I was looking for — offline mode, private places, images, maps, notes and easy to share all your profile without a click. I find the private checkbox very helpful. When someone recommends me a place I add it as a private place until I visit it and decide if it becomes an Everplace.