I am forever tooling over a certain travel struggle. This great debate is more than enough to cause throbbing migraines, sweaty palms, and slight panic. That’s right, bringing back the perfect gift.
I’ve brought home enough unopened snow globes to know that returning with the perfect travel gift for those you left behind is something like picking a birthday gift for distant relatives: you’ll spend a lot on something that will end up collecting dust in a cabinet if you don’t choose correctly.
Here, in all their pride and glory, are some …

A few years ago I had the misfortune of missing my flight from JFK to Prague- and the great fortune of having to take a necessary detour to Germany. Though I only spent a few hours in Dusseldorf, it’s prescence at this weekends New York Times Travel Show reminded me why I love this city so much!
If you ever find yourself taking a detour in Dusseldorf, get out of the airport! Many major attractions in Old Town are just 15 minutes from the terminals, and a few are even closer. …

Prague is not the first place most people look to when taking a European vacation. Between Paris, Rome, and London, there are so many Western European cities to consume the energy of Americans that we sometimes forget all of the beautiful history lying just slightly to the left. Because of that- or in spite of- it can be difficult to round-up a unique souvenir when visiting Eastern Europe. Case in point: Prague.
This beautiful, regal, funky Czech Republic capital makes for an amazing vacation. A great dollar to koruny ratio, plenty …

I’ve wanted to see the world since I first ran out into my backyard as a young child, was promptly yelled at by my mom, and locked back inside.

Though I credit a certain amount of curiosity, I also believe my love of reading had a great deal to do with it. Books can take you anywhere you wanna go, for a short time, but when the pages closed, I longed to be in the lands for-real and forever.
Below you can find a few of my childhood favorites, that gave me …

Continuing Architecture Week on Frill Seeker Diary, I want to pay homage to the works of my other favorite Frank, Frank Gehry, a man who has caused a lot of personal excitement and grief in my life.
Gehry, whose latest design incarnation is supposed to shadow my little Prospect Heights Brooklyn apartment, has a unique way of highlighting whatever area of the city he decides to plant his projects in- and I both yearn for, and fight against, seeing a Gehry stadium in Atlantic Center, Brooklyn.
This project aside (for now), let’s …

Prague has been getting a ton of attention, due in part, I’m sure, to the Czech Republic’s “visit for under $100/day program.” I dunno if I spent under $100 per day when I visited, but regardless, today I’m missing cobblestones, castles, and Kafka.