All Aboard Fashion

All Aboard Fashion is an annual event that features an amazing competition and a fashion show aboard a cruise. We're all about fashion, beauty and travel! www.allaboardfashion.com

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Staying Local: Where to go in the Southeast for Valentine's Day

So maybe you don't have the funds to go somewhere lavish for Valentine's Day with your significant other this year. Maybe you left the details to the last minute and are scrambling.

What you didn't know was that though you might be staying local for Valentine's Day, the number of selections available is great for any couple looking to getaway or have a stay-cation of their own on a budget. Read below to find our favorite picks for Columbia and the surrounding areas.

Bed & Breakfast in Asheville, N.C. Asheville is one cool city. Only about two and a half hours away from Columbia, the beautiful drive is half the fun getting there. Use this Living Social deal and get a two-night stay that includes a daily three-course gourmet breakfast for two and a gift basket while you get to explore the beautiful grounds the B&B offers. Asheville is home to many great breweries if you are interested in touring them and of course, downtown Asheville offers amazing farm-to-table restaurants, shops and the Biltmore Estate.

The VanLandingham Estate, N.C. If you're looking to head into the Charlotte area, take a look at the Groupon deal at The VanLandingham Estate. At a $119 value for only $85, you will receive a complimentary breakfast for two each morning, be only three miles from uptown Charlotte and be able to have a romantic getaway that is both sophisticated and elegant.

The Inn at Ellis Square, G.A. This Groupon deal offers you a romantic stay at one of the prettiest areas of the southeast: Savannah, G.A. Starting at $122 a night for a one-bedroom king suite, The Inn also boasts a deluxe continental breakfast, an upscale old-fashioned lounge to sip cocktails in and a piece of history: the building has stood on Ellis Square since before the Civil War.

Columbia, S.C. Want to stay within the city? How about booking a room at one of the many lovely hotels around the area: The Sheraton offers a beautiful rooftop bar, The Hilton houses Ruth's Chris. Maybe hit up a movie at The Nick, grab coffee at Drip, indulge at Motor Supply Co., Cola's or The Oak Table. Whatever you do, it's bound to be special if you're with the one you care about.

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Warm Weather Escapes to Beat the Cold

Image courtesy of pinterest.

Doesn’t matter where you go right now, it’s bound to becold. What better way to escape than to plan a spontaneous weekend getaway to somewhere warm, fabulous and with a beach? Below are four great spots to consider to make you forget this cold winter.

Jamaica Offering beautiful landscapes, white beaches and some of the best resorts around, if you’re headed to Jamaica try staying at Rockhouse Hotel. It’s a perfect spot for those who don’t want to deal with children (there are no children under 12 allowed), enjoy gourmet food and who want to relax at the beautiful spa.

Bonaire You’ve probably never heard of this island because it’s tiny and secluded in the Caribbean. However it’s perfect if you are a diver; this spot has 86 dive sites. With the island measuring 112 miles, it also experiences sunny weather all year round. 

Hawaii For the romantics this winter, head to Oahu to stay at The Royal Hawaiian, where they boast an incredible spa, a royal experience program where you will get VIP treatment, a personalized concierge, a daily breakfast for two and two reserved chaise lounges on the beach every day. If you’re looking to take a couples vacation, this is the one for you.

Puerto Rico Staying in San Juan is an amazing experience; you can choose any hotel from a Ritz-Carlton to the Hotel El Convento in Old San Juan for a wonderful historical experience. If you’re more into low-key areas, try escaping to Vieques, a small island off of the east coast where you can rent a Jeep to explore and see a breathtaking lagoon in person.

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Four Places Everyone Should See in Southeast Asia

Image courtesy of travelbrochures.org

While we all have our stereotypical bucket list of places we are dying to travel to throughout our lifetimes, there are so many places we don't seem to think about when making that list.

Below are four places in Southeast Asia that will take your breath away and give you a once in a lifetime experience.

Indonesia For those that want a beautiful island escape overflowing with Java culture and cities to wander around for days, book a trip to Indonesia. Make sure you take a morning to watch the sunrise over the beautiful volcanoes that exist there.

Hong Kong For those that want a vacation in one of the most technologically advanced cities in the world, Hong Kong is the place for you. Stop by Victoria Peak to get a premiere view of the city and don't skimp out on enjoying dim sum.

Singapore For the best melting pot of cultures you can possibly find, take to the streets of SIngapore. Where else are you able to walk along tree tops, visit an Asian Civilization Museum and fly a Boeing at Flight Experience?

Malaysia Beautiful landscapes, blending of cultures and a high-energy country make Malaysia a great place to put on your bucket list. Whether it's visiting the spooky Batu Caves or relaxing at Redang Island, Malaysia will be sure to offer you something incredible.

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Icy Destinations to Cure Your Snow Craving

If there’s one thing that is most annoying about the winter, it’s having to clear all the snow out of your driveway and backyard. The snow makes for difficult driving and general all around laziness indoors.

Sweden

Sweden boasts an incredible array of activities: choose from 200 resorts to ski at, drive your own dog sled, see the Northern lights and stay in the world’s first ever ice hotel. 

Finland

The country boasts a magical ice hotel, architectural tours, visit Lapland’s gorgeous three national parks or visit a sauna to keep yourself occupied in Finland over the winter months.

Belgium

If you’re going through Belgium on your winter trip, don’t forget to stop by the Christmas markets (specifically the one in Bruges); it’s a one of a kind experience and it will put even the grinchiest of people in the holiday spirit. And if you manage to grab a Belgian waffle too, more power to you. 

Switzerland

If you’re a skier, what better place to take your talents than Switzerland? If you’re more of a fan of watching from the sidelines, you can help yourself to any number of activities from soaking in a hot bath to ogling at alien artwork in HR Giger Museum. 

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A Little New Year's Cheer

image courtesy of pinterest.

While champagne is a guaranteed right choice on New Years Eve, what about sprucing up your champagne and taking it to the next level? Below is a guide to some of the most fun and creative ways you can create cocktails using your champagne.

If you’re a fan of gin, you’ll love this recipe for the French 75. Combine 1 oz gin, ½ oz fresh lemon juice, ½ oz simple syrup and ice into a cocktail shaker. Strain into a glass and then top off the drink with 2 ounces of champagne. Garnish with a lemon twist and you’re all set! This yields one drink.

 What better plan than to combine whiskey and champagne into a single cocktail? That’s just what the recipe for The Champagne Etoile does. First you make a simple syrup by combining 1 cup of sugar, 1 cup of water and one vanilla bean in a small pot. Bring these ingredients to a boil and cook it through until the sugar is dissolved. When it’s cooled to room temperature, get rid of the beans. It only gets easier after this: add one shot of bourbon and two tablespoons of the syrup you just made into a glass (champagne flute preferred!). Fill the glass to the top with prosecco after this and then squeeze a bit of lemon juice in and garner with the wedge. Yields one drink.

 If you’re not much for a fuss in the kitchen and just want to serve your cocktails quickly, consider the Basil Vodka Fizz. Fill two champagne glasses 2/3 of the way with brut champagne and then pour 1 oz of basil infused vodka into each glass to top it off. Voila!

Finally, another great quick throw together cocktail comes courtesy of the bloggers over at Inn Brooklyn. Simply combine a pear brandy, sugar cubes and a generous dose of champagne and you have a great holiday cocktail.

What are you waiting for? Get mixing!

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Who needs Cyber Monday?

While Cyber Monday might be over, what you didn’t know was that you don’t have to wait 365 days for your next incredible travel deal. Listed below are travel websites that offer the best deals around; Cyber Monday or not.

  Jetsetter.com

Membership to Jetsetter is free, and upon becoming a member you will be able to see all the prices on travel deals. From $180 a night in Venice to booking a full cultural tour in Morocco for a bargain of a price, Jetsetter makes sure you are taken care of. A downside to the website is that they do not include airfare, but if you’re looking for ways to explore a lot of, say, Europe or Asia and want cheaper travel deals, make sure to log on and explore the site.

  Groupon

While most are probably aware of Groupon, what you were unaware of is the incredible travel deals they offer. You’ll have to look carefully for deals that include airfare as well, but the prices Groupon has on all-inclusive resorts and tours are hard to beat. You’ll have to spend some time really combing through the site and be prepared to make a fast decision as most deals will expire quickly, but the end result is worth it.

  Go-today

Perfect for the international traveler, you simply type in where you are departing from and where you would like to visit and go-today will bring up the best deals. They also feature their premiere deals on the front page so you might be inspired to check out a place you never thought of visiting. Go-today is good about either stating explicitly whether or not they include airfare as well, so if you want a site to book everything on, go-today might be your best bet.

  Travel Zoo

Travel Zoo is perfect for someone that doesn’t have time to shop around on a bunch of websites in order to find the best deal. Simply type in where you would like to go and where you are departing from and Travel Zoo will compare deals on various websites to find you the cheapest solution. For someone that is in a bit of a rush and isn’t keen on spending hours shopping through deals, Travel Zoo has you covered. 

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New Thanksgiving Traditions

While you probably associate Thanksgiving with heaps of mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, stuffing, gobs of cranberry sauce and thick slices of turkey meat, all around the world people are celebrating the day in a way that differs from the traditional American way.

Learn a little about the different ways other countries celebrate, and maybe incorporate something new into your holiday this year.

China: Moon Festival

Celebrated mid-autumn around September or October, the Chinese celebrate with the traditional mooncake, a pastry that is difficult even for the Chinese to create (most buy their mooncakes from bakeries). They take the time to cherish their friends and family and it is said that during this time, the moon is at its brightest and fullest, which is said to inspire rekindling of friendship and romance. Take some inspiration from China this Thanksgiving and maybe pick up a mooncake at your nearest bakery (if you can find one).

  Ghana: Homowo Festival

Known as the Yam Festival, Ghana celebrates this during the yam harvest season (May and August). The festival is held in order to remember a time period of famine in Ghana’s history.  The yams and the food that are eaten during the festival are blessed by local chiefs and then the celebration is marked by a large feast, dancing, singing and drum-playing. While you probably already have yams on your Thanksgiving platter, try a different recipe this year instead of the staple marshmallows on top routine.

  Korea: Ch’usok

Celebrated in late September / early October, Koreans take this time to first and foremost pay homage to their ancestors, and then also to spend time with their friends and family. There is traditionally a large feast, but the main unique dish is Songpyeon: glutinous rice filled with sweet and savory fillings such as sesame seeds and honey, sweet red bean paste or chestnut paste steamed over a bed of pine needles. The people are only allowed to begin eating once there has been a memorial service for the dead, though after that has occurred they are allowed to eat, celebrate, dance and dress in traditional costumes. See if you can get your hands on some Songpyeon this Thanksgiving for a fun alternative dessert dish.  

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A retai buyer is a great and fun option you might not think takes you around the world, but it does! Read about that and other career travel opportunities here. Photo courtesy of The Sartorialist.

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Ever considered becoming a cruise ship worker? With that job and others you can travel the world and get paid to do it! Photo courtesy of cruise-ship-holidays.co.uk.

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Want to see the world and be paid to do it? Here are five different career paths that could take you in that direction. Photo courtesy of iheartcabincrew.com.

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Travel to Work

Sure, exploring the world might be on your bucket list, but finding a job that allows you the time to get all that traveling done might be a bit difficult.

 For the adventure-seeker and someone that wants to explore the world, we’ve come up with five jobs that allow you to roam and discover endless amounts of new territory.

  Retail Buyer

This might not seem like a job that allows for a great amount of travel, but with the amount of locations you will have to visit, conferences you will have to attend and trade conferences that will cross the entire globe—not just the United States. And if you aren’t someone that is the biggest fashionista around, don’t worry: retail buyers can work for all sorts of retail stores, not just fashion ones.

  Cruise Ship Employee

You better have your sea legs for this one: you will constantly be traveling the world (and the sea!) while getting paid to do so. And what’s even better is that all your food and accommodations are included in your experience, so you don’t have to worry about paying the rent on time.

  Nanny

If you speak another language, becoming a nanny for a family overseas might be a great option if you are good with kids and want to spend a lengthy amount of time in another country. The salary is normally great, and you get the full experience of being immersed in another culture.

  Flight Attendant

Yes, it’s a stereotypical job associated with traveling, but you really do get to see a lot of the world with this job. If you’re not the person on the plane who is terrified by a slight bit of turbulence and you’re okay with being on a plane for hours at a time, look into applying with an airline.

  Wedding Photographer (Destination)

If you are a photographer and you like photographing weddings, why not look into being a destination-wedding photographer? You’ll get to see some pretty amazing places, and are guaranteed to get to lie on a beach at least once in your career.

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I've already stated packing. New, out of the box vacation ideas.

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How to make the most of your gap year

So you’ve decided to take a year off in between graduating and the real world, between graduating and college, or between graduating college and entering graduate school. Congratulations! You’re off to a start on something different and exciting that will become one of your greatest memories: if done right.

  I was recently told that when you go to employers, having done something phenomenal with your gap year actually makes you more of an attractive prospective employee as opposed to an undesirable. And this news couldn’t be better.

  When deciding how and where you want to spend your gap year, most will want to travel. The first step is deciding where you want to go; do you want to spend an entire year in one country or more or less a month visiting different places? If you want to spend an entire year in one place, say Prague, you should start looking at housing options months before you leave the country. Most likely you will be signing a lease of some sort—this ends up being cheaper than paying per night at a hostile. Ask your friends and family to help you out. Maybe someone knows someone that went to Prague and can recommend a great website to visit and find safe affordable places to stay for the year. You never know what information others will have for you.

  If you want to hop around the world, you’ll probably be staying in hostiles or with friends, if you have friends in the specific country you’ll be in. You can probably check out student housing too, such as apartment complexes mainly inhabited by students and see if anyone would be willing to have you sleep on an air mattress in their apartment. While not the most ideal situation, it’ll save you money and you’ll end up meeting a lot of great people.

  The mistake most people make when they travel to a country they’ve never visited before is not going and fully experiencing the area. Don’t be afraid to go somewhere on your own! Maybe you’re with a group of friends and they all really want to go to a museum, but you’d like to wander the streets and see where things take you and search for a little boutique you read about four months ago. Go do it. You’ll regret it if you don’t. You all can meet back up for dinner again and rehash the day. Don’t put other people’s sightseeing destinations before your own. It’s your gap year! Do what you would like and you won’t regret it.

  Finally, meet people local to the area. Strike up a conversation with your waiter at dinner, or the person sitting next to you in the bar or the person sitting next to you drinking coffee. If you get along, you’ll have just made a new friend and you’ll really be able to experience the local culture and get a one of a kind experience no one else can say they have.

  Above all, do what you want during your gap year. Go find that boutique you’ve been reading about, meet new people, stay in on a rainy day if that’s what you want to do. You will walk away no matter what a more enriched person and having gained more knowledge from being brave enough to take that year and see more of the world.

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10 Most Romantic Places in the World to Propose

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Eventos en Mexico

Image courtesy of www.mexicomeetingsnetwork.com

While Mexico might be the normal destination for warm beaches and a cocktail in one hand, you can always spice up your vacation by taking a venture outside of the resort. Listed below are three different options if you find yourself in Mexico this week.

Festival of Skulls (Oct. 22 – Nov. 2) Perfect for the Halloween season, this festival showcases a variety of morbid art exhibits, performance art and a skeleton parade. Along with games and various stands, different size and shaped skulls are on display.

  Mathew Jonson (Oct. 24) Techno sensation Mathew Jonson will take his talents to Mexico City on Friday, as part of the MUTEK MX, which is described as an international festival of digital creativity. The festival lasts all week, so even if you’re not a fan of techno music, it’s worth a stop by.

  Jenny Beaujean (Oct. 24) If you’re looking for a distraction in the form of jazz, jazz singer Jenny Beaujean will be performing at Film Club Café, a place that not only hosts local and worldwide films, but live music acts as well. Take the night and relax with Beaujean’s soothing vocals.

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Lost in Translation: From Asia to America

Image via huffingtonpost

Tokyo is known as a fashion capital, but when you actually go to Tokyo, you'd probably like to know a few phrases here and there to help you when you're swimming among some of the most beautiful shops and designs you've set your eyes on. Below are some common fashion sayings, translated into Japanese for your next adventure ;)

Small: Chi-i-sai 

Large: O-o-ki-i

Dress: Wan-pea-suu

Shirt: Shi-a-tsu

Pants: Pan-tsu-u

Skirt: Su-kaa-to-u

Necklace: Nekk-u-ra-su

Earrings: Ea-a-ring-gu

Ring: Yu-bi-wa

Shoes: Ku-tsu

High-heels: Hi-hee-ru

Black: Ku-ro

White: Shi-ro

Red: A-ka-i

Jacket: Ja-ket-tou

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To Paris, with love

Known as being one of the most fashionable cities in the world, who wouldn’t want to go to Paris for a week?

L'Encrier A restaurant that houses mostly locals and only a select few that actually know about the spot, L’Encrier is a great hidden gem that boasts a fantastic menu, a kitchen that you are able to see from your spot in the restaurant and an affordable menu. It’s recommended that you make reservations to ensure you snag a spot at this local hangout.

Sacre-Coeure Area While you might normally travel to this spot for the inevitable breath-taking photos that can be captured, if you walk around the Montmartre and behind it, there will be an area spotted with fantastic restaurants and shops. It’s recommended to go at nighttime, because you’ll be able to really see the beauty of the area and not be bombarded by tourists. A quick Google search of the Sacre-Coeure area will help you narrow down your shop and dining options. 

Afwosh This concept store sells everything from inexpensive jewelry to higher-end bags; perfect for the consumer that is looking for a bargain but might want to splurge on a certain something. With a discount section located in the back, normally guaranteeing at least 40% off of items, you can save money and not skimp on quality at Afwosh. 

Les Fleurs If you are into girly items and a feminine appeal, this is the shop to stop at. The prices are mid-range so you won’t break the bank and you’re sure to find pieces no one else will have. However, it has become a bit of a popular hot spot, so you will have to push your way through the crowds. It’s all worth it for a one of a kind piece, though.