I felt a bit weird trekking to Brooklyn and staying there for two days to explore the neighborhood. Let me explain, the burrough and I don't really know each other. In fact, the only reason why  I haven't had much of a love affair with Brooklyn is because I had dismissed it as a residential landmass, even though I didn't know anything about it.

I have several friends who live in the area who had constantly voiced their love for their locale. Since there's a saying that goes, "the more you know, the more you want to know," I decided that this visit would be just what the travel doctor ordered for the skeptic residing in Weehawken, NJ.

Luckily for me, I had experts who really knew what they were talking about to ease me into Brooklyn-ese. We were in the expert hands of Dom Gervasi who started Made in Brooklyn Tours. Dom, a born and bred Brooklynite, knows the area like the back of his phone, and is a licensed NYC Sightseeing Guide.

Made in Brooklyn Tours leader Dom Gervasi (left)

Dom's love for Brooklyn is very obvious. A soft spoken leader with a true passion for showing others the gems of his stomping grounds, he tells us of the history of the popular area that you see in the pictures.

This used to be a former Navy Yard, he explains. "It was historically called Fulton Ferry Landing." The name DUMBO emerged in 1978, at the time when there was a surge of artists in Manhattan. During the late 1970s, manufacturers were leaving the New York City area (in places like SoHo and Tribeca) and moving elsewhere to find less expensive rentals. But since the buildings they left were empty spaces–voids with little use –the building landlords decided to be smart about putting it to good use. So they started renting out the buildings to the burgeoning artists.

This made sense to me since the SoHo, Tribeca and DUMBO areas were typically associated with artists and artist lofts.

A view of the popular The River Cafe, and Brooklyn Bridge

The landlords started making the artist residences pretty hip, and went into a lot of empty buildings to tinker with them and do renovations. But as human nature would inevitably have it, the landlords started getting greedy and raised the prices on these manufacturing residences. Well, the artists living in the DUMBO area at the time (it wasn't called DUMBO then) were a  bit concerned that the spike in rent in New York would affect them as well, so they banded together and decided to have an unpalatable name so no one would want to move here. Their first idea was to call the area DUMB (Down Under Manhattan Bridge) to detract others from paying a visit to the area and living there. But they (thankfully) added an O (for Overpass) at the end.  An alternatively name was Down Around the Navy Yard Annex–but DUMBO works much better.

Down Under Manhattan Bridge Overpass. Somehow, it sounds just right.

The artists' efforts worked only for a little while, and it would be only a few years later when smart and savvy investors started to recognized the potential of the area. One of the biggest purveyors of the land were the Valentis family –both David and Jane Valentis (we'll talk more about them in a future post).  

A view of Manhattan & Brooklyn Bridge from the ferry landing

My weekend journey to DUMBO started off with brisk walk to the former Fulton Ferry Landing, an area where you can get a spectacular view of downtown Manhattan, including the One World Trade Center, the Frank Gehry building and of course, the Brooklyn, Manhattan and Williamsburg bridges.

I inhaled the fresh air and walked briskly, hearing the pleasant sea-side sounds of seagulls and activity. The blogger group I went with were a lively bunch, and chirped in their love for Brooklyn. What is really interesting to note is how far along DUMBO has come in terms of its expansion. "This area was really declining in terms of industry," explains Gervasi "and fortunately some people were coming here and looking at the area and saying there's so much promise here." Now, you'd be lucky to get a piece of the real estate action, especially if you wanted to live in a building with such impressive views as what you see above. And this area is a haven for artists, featuring movies and music. Barge Music, a popular floating music series, is held right there on the pier, off the former Fulton Ferry Landing.

It is hard not to be completely in awe of the expansive view, cafe-lined streets and what I would describe as a truly bohemian artist vibe. DUMBO is a region that every visitor –or New Yorker– should visit.

To reach Made in Brooklyn Tours, contact:

Dom Gervasi

Made in Brooklyn Tours

Phone: 718 355 9263

This is the first post in a series of posts about DUMBO and Brooklyn. A big thank you to the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott for sponsoring the tour.

Today's photo of the day is of Wausau, Wisconsin, a place I never thought I would visit during the winter because I'm typically shy of the cold and snow. A hike through Rib Mountain State Park completely changed my mind however. Birch and oak trees gently swayed with snow and ice; the landscape –white on white–was more brilliant than I anticipated.

As I hiked through one of the oldest geological formations on Earth, I could hear the silence. Simon and Garfunkle's song, "The Sound of Silence" echoed in my mind. The tints of aqua and white formed an Ansel Adam-esque backdrop and it was hard not to feel close to Nature.

There are some places that I am hesitant to visit initially, but end up falling in love with. Travel is like a kaleidoscope in that aspect — you don't really know what you'll get until you get there.

Detroit is one visit I will always remember from 2011. There's so much to Motor City beyond the silver GM Building, the indefatigable assembly line pioneered by Ford, and the dreary thought of worker layoffs and stringent Unions. Detroit is for the foodie, the adventurer, the architect lover in all of us.

Beyond the Willy Wonka Car Production Factory: Detroit, a City for Serious Foodies

I visited Detroit in April, 2011 and drank in everything: from the developed, ethnic fabric in Dearborn, Michigan to the more run down outskirts like Corktown. Corktown is not pretty, by any stretch of the overactive imagination, but the area is a cultural melting pot and a fabric of Irish immigrant settlers and a now more hip, young urban crowd. Detroit is a place for foodies, and one iconic dining option –Slow's BBQ on Michigan Avenue — has reinvented the culinary vernacular.

As I discovered, Detroit has surprisingly polished and diverse food choices. It would take a very uncreative person to starve here. One of my favorite places to eat was Pizzeria Biga which boasts Neapalitano-style brick oven pizzas with chewy, flavorful crust. Getting a slice of pizza these days is akin to sipping a generously warm latte from Dunkin Donuts — genuine, quality, but expected. Pizzeria Biga ups the ante and really gives you a flavorful experience.

For restaurants that have that "fun factor" woven into their aura and decor, there is plenty of action in Greektown, considered the most famous neighborhood in Downtown Detroit. At Pegasus Taverna,with its unassuming exterior, there is much gaiety, action and familial laughter. Savvy servers bring flaming plates of Greek Kasseri cheese lit ablaze with brandy to your table (the dish is called Saganaki Opa and the servers really and do shout Opa –a word which is often used to describe a joyful occasion or emotion). The patrons clap, as though at a concert. The restaurant makes one relive scenes from My Big Fat Greek Wedding – minus the tacky.

A misty morning in Dearborn, Michigan

The Creme de la Creme of Museums

A visit to the Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village alone will inspire to you to appreciate the amount of American innovation that occurred at the turn of the century. Ford's vision and motto was that "ordinary Americans can do extraordinary things" and he was a vast collector of iconic inventions (from Edison's Menlo Park home reproduction to the actual bicycle where the Wright Brothers worked in Dayton, Ohio), you can truly see the innovations that shaped America.

At a popular places like Greenfield village, you can see school buses filled with children on field trips, tourists eager to inhale the spirit of turn of the century America, and museum curators eager to show off their vast knowledge. Detroit is full of passionate people, eager to recount legends, pass on their knowledge to those keen to soak it up, and features the creme de la cream of automobile and American innovation museums. 

The sacred, iconic Piquette Plant Assembly, where Henry Ford and his team assembled the first Model T and several other models, is a museum pilgrimage that no automobile connoisseur could afford to miss. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002, this unassuming mill-style building was home to the realization of Ford's singular, stubborn dream of providing every American with an affordable car.

Creaky stairs, original wooden floors, even Ford's old office corner — everything is preserved, loved, cherished. Each year, volunteers work on preserving the antique cars to make sure all parts are intact, polished, functional, and every second of their labor of love is a donation. What a testament to the vision of Ford, I thought, and what level of respect. Visitors can sit in a small room with benches and watch a documentary on Ford's vision and realization.

The Only Place in North America Where You Can Look South Toward Canada

In Detroit, I discovered what it felt like to be in the only place in North America where you can gaze South toward Canada (I remember being in the General Motors building, a tall, silvery cylindrical skyscraper that looked a futuristic lighthouse), towards Windsor.

A City of Architectural Masterpieces

From the unmistakeable Guardian Building that lights up the city skyline, to the distinctly Detroit Pewabic pottery (the eponymous school still operates today and was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1991), there is so much square footage of Detroit devoted to architecture and the arts. Pewabic pottery is known for its distinct, almost phantasmagoric quality of glazing with rich and deep colors.

A newly renovated bedroom at The Henry, an Autograph Collection Hotel in Dearborn, MI

The outskirts of Detroit, en route to Corktown

Corktown may not be a place to linger or sit in a cafe, but it has spots that are being renovated.

In Corktown, at the intersection of Wabash & Michigan Avenues. You're not in Kansas anymore.

An iconic restaurant in Corktown and Detroit itself, Slow's BBQ has brought tourists, celebrities, locals together in pursuit of a

new revitalized cuisine. Surprisingly, there are a lot of vegetarian and vegan options on the menu.

A Brush Motor Company car stands on the original wooden floor at the Piquette Assembly Plant in Detroit. Volunteers painstakingly restore each and every car to perfection on an annual basis

Inside the iconic Guardian Building, considered to be one of Detroit's architectural masterpieces

The rich glazed Pewabic Pottery Tiles that are distinctly Detroit

Stately servers put on a show of "Saganaki Opa" (flaming Greek Kasseri cheese and brandy) at Pegasus Restaurant in Greektown

A city that is never on autopilot: Detroit at night

It's impossible to truly experience the spirit of New York City without taking in a good window display or two –preferably several. Each stores vies for attention and it's always a surprise as to what the general theme of the displays will be.

In the case of Bergdorf Goodman (my hands down favorite this year), the window displays are typically unveiled mid November, closer to Thanksgiving. The theme of Bergdorf Goodman is usually sophisticated yet quirky and unexpected.

In contrast are the winning, yet less opulent displays from Macy's and Saks Fifth Avenue. While Saks Fifth Avenue definitely merits a walk by this year (the hand painted white and black barrels and pulleys are stuff the Metropolitan Opera is made of), Macy's left me a tad disappointed. Clock gear? Really? 

Missing from the below photo series are Lord & Taylor, Bloomingdale's and Barneys New York and I'm hoping to add them later on. Take a look and leave me a comment: which one of these is your favorite? 

MACY'S HOLIDAY WINDOW DISPLAY AT 34TH STREET, HERALD SQUARE, NEW YORK CITY

BERGDORF GOODMAN 2011 HOLIDAY DISPLAY

The walk leading to Bergdorf's, on 57th street between 5th and 6th Avenues, is so festive this time of year. Every building sparkles in champagne. 

LOUIS VUITTON HOLIDAY DISPLAY

SAKS FIFTH AVENUE 2011 HOLIDAY DISPLAY 

SEPHORA

The very last place I expected to find a Japanese tea ceremony was in Macau. 

While the English can wax on about their royal "High Tea" and the fancy assortment of scones, watercress sandwiches and what not, the concept of tea as a beverage that is freshly brewed, prepared and served is a Chinese concept that spread to other countries. In as early as 727 A.D., The Chinese Tang Court presented tea as a gift to Emperor Shomu of Japan. Tea then was planted in the Imperial Garden of Kyoto in 794 A.D.

So, I should not have been surprised to see the various ways the Macanese take their tea during my recent visit.

The Chinese and Japanese have profited from centuries to make their tea just right (tea was discovered in 2772 B.C. by the Chinese emperor and inventor Shennong, and initially planted in the Chengdou province in China).

Wherever we went, the place settings and the attention to detail seemed so other wordly. "Only in Asia," I thought, thinking of the crazy mess in my dining room. I was sure my new Macanese friends would have a mild heart attack if they set foot into my house. 

One of my first experiences with how the Macanese served their tea was at the authentic Cantonese restaurant, "Treasure Palace" located on the main level of the Boulevard of the "City of Dreams" Macau. The giant "City of Dreams" triplex can put many Manhattan skyscrapers to shame, and as with many prestigious restaurants in Macau, is located smack dab in the thick of all the action: the Cotai Strip (the Cotai Strip was modeled after the Vegas Strip –some say it outshines Vegas).

"Treasure Palace" didn't serve us a proper Chinese tea, but the food was so beautifully presented and the service was superb, so I wanted to show you what an authentic Cantonese culinary/tea experience can be. As soon as you enter the restaurant, you're greeted by a long red lacquered tea station where a beautifully-dressed lady is curating tea as though she was born in a tea garden. Everything you see below is fragrant, loose leaf tea, which she carefully scoops, measures and then pours into one of the clear teapots below for steeping. 

And then there is our place setting  – a group of eight hungry journalists seated around a table on which a clear glass Lazy Susan rests. The restaurant itself is characterized by a bold red decor, but the place setting is so minimalist and white. And for people who are not comfortable with the chopsticks, no big! The servers are used to frequent requests of supplying forks and knives.

We gaze at a peaceful artificial lake that glistens, right outside our window. Everything seems calm and zen, and very healthy. None of the hustle and bustle I typically associate with casinos (City of Dreams pulls a substantial portion of its income from its casinos) and the atmosphere naturally lent itself to finding your inner peace.

The menu is created and supervised by Chef Tam Kwok-Fung, who is known for his mastery of the Cantonese cuisine. If you're a vegetarian, you'll have no issues because they will supply you with steamed vegetable dumplings that are perfectly done (the dough is not overcooked or too watery, and the flavors are well balanced, sodium free and not spicy), as well as several vegetable dishes of your choice. 

But this all brings me back to the tea. The tea we had at Treasure Palace was Chinese tea, and you may have had various versions of this tea in Chinese restaurants around the world. But the experience got me thinking about the difference between the Chinese and Japanese tea ceremonies because immediately following lunch, we visited an authentic Japanese hotel, the "Okura."

The Okura is a newly minted hotel (it opened in July, 2011) that was built specifically to cater to the increasing number of Japanese visitors to Macau.

Visitors are greeted in the lobby by a beautiful blooming Japanese cherry blossom tree, and a lady in a pale pink Kimono who is as perfectly groomed and styled as a Harajuku doll. 

The "Okura" is part of the "Galaxy Macau" five-star resort. 

When you visit one of the many rooms in the hotel Okura, you'll see how much pains the designers took to keep the rooms quite minimalist –but there's always that spotlight on the tea (notice the difference in the Chinese and Japanese tea displays). 

The highlight of my trip was meeting the Japanese Tea Ceremony Mistress in Okura's signature restaurant, Yamazato. The exquisite, graceful and Kimono-clad Shirai Yayoi is a master of the ancient style of serving Japanese tea (the proper terminology for this ceremony is "Otemae") for over 50 years, and has performed this ceremony to several Japanese emperors including the late Emperor Hirohito and his son,  the current Emperor Akihito. 

It was a joy and a thrill to be able to get into the "igloo" with her (note: the "igloo" is not the official name for where the tea ceremony is held but rather my inept, watered down way to give you an idea of what it looked like; the inside of the "igloo" is warm, cozy and very very clean). I had a picture taken of my with Shirai Yayoi but unfortunately –much to my extreme disappointment –the SD card got corrupted and I could not retrieve them when I came home! 

Below you'll see one of my writer buddies, Alexis Quinlan, who was also with me as Yayoi showed us how the tea is prepared. 

The art of the Ancient Japenese Tea Ceremony is a very quiet, reflective ceremony, and one that involves a lot of patience and the art of savoring. Yayoi had several precise steps she took before offering us a pot of the freshly prepared "matcha" tea. The reason why the matcha tea is served with sweets is to balance the bitter aspect of the tea. So the ceremony, in essence, is not only about drinking the tea –it's about appreciating all the little but significant steps in the preparation of the tea —a ritual that changed my life forever. 

PREPARATION: Alexis and I sat in silence and watched Yayoi prepare the tea herself. She took a teapot of clear boiling water and set it aside. Then she made sure the teacups themselves were sparkling clean, before scooping up a precise amount of freshly powdered green Matcha tea and placing the powder at the bottom of a master bowl.

There are some precise rules applied to the utensils and how to care for them, clean them and have them ready for the Tea Ceremony. Everything is placed on a clean mat made of bamboo, upon which the guests sit.

APPRECIATION: What I loved most about watching Yayoi is how she appreciated every little task, from ladling the hot water into the master bowl, to whisking the matcha green tea and the water. As she handed the cups to us, with both hands and a courteous bow, she ordered us to "appreciate the bowl" after we were done tasting and drinking the tea.

Before tasting the tea, we followed Yayoi's example of sniffing, savoring and sipping the tea gingerly, and then gulping it down. It's impressive that even when it comes down to the art of drinking tea, there are fine steps to follow to enhance your appreciation. 

I left Hotel Okura with a sense of accomplishment, and now I wanted to transfer this spirit of zen-ness and appreciation to all my daily tasks, from boiling my American tea kettle to doing the dishes. As the saying goes, it's easy to do things, it's hard to do them well. After Yayoi told me to "appreciate the bowl" I surrendered to her wisdom and simplicity because the latter must be —had to be — the key to happiness.

For many travelers, Macau is the Asian version of Vegas. And while I won't deny that during my recent visit there, I did encounter more marble lobbies, fountains and upscale shopping venues than I have in a while, I was pleasantly surprised to discover the "other" side of Macau.

The Ruins of St. Paul was formerly St. Paul's College, and is now a much loved, much visited landmark by several tourists. It's refreshing to see the watermark of the Portuguese influence in Macau, and I experienced quite a magical walk from the Ruins, down the steps, and through the narrow cobblestone streets that reminded me of Sicilian towns.

Arguable the most famous cultural landmark in Macau, the Ruins of St. Paul were made a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Historic Center of Macau in 2005.

The Ruins of St. Paul actually refer to a site that featured two prominent buildings in Macau: the first was the Cathedral of St. Paul, which was built by the Jesuits and completed in 1602. You won't find traces of the cathedral on site, I'm afraid, because it was destroyed by a fire in 1835.

But you can see the southern stone facade carved by Jesuits who fled their native Japan (in the early 1600s), and if you venture down into the catacombs, you will encounter a chilling crypt and their bones. 

So, this landmark –which is a popular place for brides to get photographed (we encountered a beautiful bride getting her pictures taken on the day of our visit) — gives you a slice of Macau you never thought you would find. 

Here's a photo walk from the Ruins all the way to Senado Square where you can see the brightly-colored Pagoda, and all the festive paper lanterns from the Mooncake Festival. 

The Ruins of St. Paul is a much-photographed landmark, but it did not disappoint because I was thrilled to get a glimpse into the history and culture of Macau (cliched as that phrase may sound). The facade has intricate carvings and detailing, and the Cathedral of Macau was the largest Catholic church in Asia at the time.

A walk from the Ruins will lead you through narrow alleyways and cobblestone streets flanked by traditional stores selling everything from pigskin to hand-made souvenirs. 

These slices of meat can be purchased by the pound. The prices are in Macanese Patacas (written as MOP$). A U.S. dollar yields roughly 8 Patacas, using the exchange rate as of December 2011.

The feeling of being in Asia is palpable.  I never felt hurried or rushed or had pushy salespeople throwing their wares in my face, and I was very happy about that. Typically in Macau, you can browse and shop in peace and not feel too bothered. 

I absolutely love corners like these where you can absorb the flavor of a place in just one glance. From the Chinese lettering flanking the door to the carefully cut and laid cobbestones that are done in the traditional black and white basalt stones (a Portuguese technique), the alleys leading to Senado Square can be full of surprises. 

Yes, sadly, there is both a McDonald's and a Starbucks in Senado Square. The chain store globalization trend continues. But at least, there are other stores for you to enjoy the authentic Macanese experience.

The Mooncake Festival decorations still were everywhere. The brightly colored paper lanterns are just one way that the Macanese celebrate their festivals. What is a mooncake? It's a Chinese dessert that has a filling of a duck's egg. 

The culmination of your walk will be the unmistakeable Pagoda in Senado Square. Also called "Senate Square," the paved area was the center of Macau, and where a lot of the parades, dances and festive celebrations take place on a monthly basis. Senado Square using the traditional Portuguese pavement technique which are done using black and white stones made of basalt and limestone. 

Fall is a magical time of year and a photographer's dream. From the blood red maple trees, to the crunch of pale yellow leaves on the sidewalks, there's a photo everywhere you look. 

Over the past few  years, Matthew and I have been captivated by the sheer, dense, deep, rich shades of fall. Living in Weehawken, NJ makes us feel we're a bit in the woods; but, at the same time, we're not more than a hop, skip and a swim across the Hudson away.

Leaves are fascinating because they come in all shapes and sizes: some with serrated edges, some the size of your palm, others wispy and thin. Enjoy the photo album below.

Maple leaves in New Jersey

Butterscotch inspecting the fallen leaves

A lake in Harriman State Park, Harriman, NY

More lake and leafy silhouettes in Harriman 

A misty view of Chris Columbus' statue in Columbus Circle, New York

A closer look at the dry, pale leaves on the pavement

This is the view on  my way to catching the bus into the city 

During my very first day in Macau, we were taken to see the Macau Tower (the bungee jumping destination I mentioned in my previous post), and also enjoy the first weekend of the Fireworks Competition.

This annual competition features pyrotechnic displays that are one part Cirque du Soleil, one part geometric study in beehives, bouquets, rockets and other fairly predictable shapes (and some unpredictable mixes and matches).

Since fireworks have been part of the Chinese culture and traditions since the 12th century, this should come as no surprise. But a Fireworks competition implies a bigger senses of orchestration: we were going to watch Taiwan and Austria battle for some of the judges' top marks. I was expecting Chinese pop music in the background, and traditional Viennese classical music and the show did not disappoint.

My camera, however, did. Or let me take that back–my photography skills were just a tad bit too caveman to handle my new Nikon D3000 (this was my "Macau" present given to me by hubby who didn't want me to take his D90 camera…the trouble is, I had to learn the hard way and fiddle with it while I was there). 

One of the first photos I took (below), was a complete dud 

My first few shots were pretty much along the lines of what you see above. Fuzzy as a scene from "The Blair Witch Project," these were my initial 20 or 30 photos before I realized that you simply cannot take good pictures of fireworks using the "Auto" mode. 

I then switched to Manual mode, where I turned the ISO setting to 800 because it was night and starting to get pitch back, but I was also a bit worried about the graininess…I didn't want the sensitivity to be so high so as to render the pictures poor quality. This was a number I used by chance because the 800 setting has worked well for me in the past during dusk and night.

One issue with light exposure was my lens, because this was a relatively el cheapo lens, and the aperture only goes down to an f-stop of 5.6. So, I would get minimal light into the lens (my husband's D90 lens for example, goes all the way down to 2.8). But in a situation like this, where there is ambient light and all it takes is a little zoom to get a close up of the fireworks, the f-stop of 5.6 actually worked fine. Even in this case if I did have a lens that went all the way down to 2.8 I'm not sure I would have used it because that would have made the pictures too grainy).

Since I was in manual mode, I had to play with the shutter speed too…and this took several tries because many of the photos ended up too burry, meaning my shutter speed was way too slow. 

What could have been an extremely frustrating experience turned out to be a fun, exciting way to use the camera!

So I played with my shutter speed, and discovered that a 1/4000 was way too fast (this was the upper end of what I had) and I settled for 1/200 which worked for this instance. During the entire experiment, I must have taken over 300 photos of the fireworks. 

As you can see, the photos became crisper without much graininess. I also took photos from various angles, trying to capture the bridge, the people and just zoom in on the fireworks alone. So is there a magic formula for taking good photos of fireworks? Here's what I found: 

1) Don't crank the ISO setting way up. If your camera lens is sensitive, which it will be if you increase the ISO settings, it will be able to pick up ambient light from the fireworks no matter how far away they may seem. If it's at night, a setting of 600-800 should work well;

2) Definitely don't put your camera in "Auto" if you can help it. This will just make you pick up the closer objects when the flash goes off and the distant objects will appear darker. Not attractive!

3) Play with the right shutter speed and don't crank it all the way up otherwise it will be too fast and you'll end up with black photos.

4) Your aperture is probably best at 5.6, which is what I had it at. If you turn it down to an f-stop of 2.8 your pictures may become too grainy when you increase the size. 

Enjoy the progressively better pictures. If you have a tip, please share.