Last Travel Fling Before Wedding Bells Ring: Salem, Massachusets

In honor of Halloween, one of my all-time favorite holidays, lets head over to Salem, Massachusetts, one of the earliest American colonies for a little bachelorette fun. Here's the scoop:

• Who: Gals who want to explore New England's charming towns, spooky sights and waterfront attractions while knowing the pulse of Boston is nearby.

• What: Salem is a cute, sleepy tourist destination full of historical characters and things to do. Take in a witch trial, visit a slew of art museums, check out the shops and restaurants at Pickering Wharf, learn about the area's literary legacy, photograph architectural landmarks or take a night tour lead by lantern light.
  

• When: The city's month-long Haunted Happenings in October includes parades, parties, and tours. If you must go on Halloween, beware of the crowds and tourist-trap scene and be sure to bring your costumes.

• Where: Less than an hour from Boston. Easily accessible via MBTA commuter train, car or a 45-minute catamaran during summer months.

• Don't Miss: Check out the nearby towns including Essex (birthplace of the fried clam!), Marblehead and Manchester-by-the-Sea.

• Booking: Visit Destination Salem for hotel packages and visitor information.
  

Let there be exotic candy!

One of my favorite things about traveling to far off lands is getting to taste the local delicacies. From turtle soup and springbok biltog to lobster ice cream, I've tasted the good, the bad and the ugly. Best of all, I love to raid international supermarkets for local candies which often look and taste nothing like their counterparts back home.

Since Halloween is upon us, I thought it would be fun to talk about ways to incorporate exotic flavors into a candy bar. What a great way to recognize your cultural heritage or favorite vacation spots. Like you, I drool over Amy Atlas's gorgeous monochromatic candy buffets like this one.

If you're planning one for your shower or wedding, why not incorporate some exotic flavors into the mix?

Thinking pink? Try Strawberry KitKats from Japan.

Gotta have green? Try Gomas Eucalypto from Peru.

Yummy yellow? Try Darnell Lee Soft Eating Ginger Licquorice from Australia.

Better be brown? Try Crown Nuggets - Licor de Cafe & Tequila Nuggets from Mexico.

Winter white? Try Loukoumi Artisan Confections from New Zealand.

For more inspiration, check out this New York Magazine's recent story on Japanese candy and visit the Candy Blog to search for international favorites by country, candy rating or type.

I Guess He Just Wasn't That Into Her!

There's never a shortage of wedding disasters (brides falling into pools, grooms fainting, ring bearers tripping photographers) but here's a new one for you from Japan.

A 39-year-old Japanese groom-to-be set his wedding site on FIRE to sabotage his wedding plans this past weekend. According to the local papers, he already had a wife and thought he could get out of the wedding by setting a fire. Guests at the hotel were evacuated and no one was injured. Needless to say, he's now in jail.

Let them eat cupcakes!

It's DIY week at Style Me Pretty and I've been eating up all the clever project tutorials. My favorite so far is this Map-Inspired Cupcake Tier made with Italian map wrapping paper in honor of an Italian fiance.

This could be done with maps showcasing your honeymoon destination, your home towns, locations where you met or traveled together or even a map of your wedding locale. It would be so fun for a wedding, bridal shower or a post-destination wedding celebration. It could also make a cute groom's "cake" for a globetrotting groom.

All you need is a cardboard cupcake tower, maps or decorative wrapping paper, craft paint and ribbon. Complete instructions here.

Now, for some cupcake inspiration, look no further than Cupcakes Take the Cake where you'll find recipes, photos galore and links to cupcake bakeries around the world!

Delightful Turkish Wedding Tradition

Are you having a Turkish themed wedding?

Are you honeymooning in Turkey?

Are you a modern gal who wants to incorporate a fun, non-humiliating, find-out-who-will-marry-next tradition into your wedding?

If you answered yes to one or more of these questions, I have a great idea for you, compliments of Martha Stewart Weddings.

Instead of tossing a bouquet and subjecting their girlfriends to bodily harm, Turkish brides use shoes and dancing to determine the next bride-to-be! How fun is that? Before the ceremony, the single women autograph the sole of the bride's wedding shoe. After dancing the night away, Turkish legend has it that the person whose name who has rubbed off the most will be the next to marry.

Just one more reason to enjoy dancing the night away.

Last Travel Fling Before Wedding Bells Ring: Cliff House Resort & Spa, Maine

The Cliff House Resort & Spa was one of the suggestions for my bachelorette trip. Here's the scoop:

* Who: Gals who want to enjoy New England's great outdoors, biking, swimming and quaint villages while knowing a mani/pedi is just minutes away.

* What: A classic New England Seaside retreat with pampering amenities, luxe spa treatments, eco-friendly practices and fabulous oceanfront dining. Opened in 1872, the resort features 194 guest rooms each with an oceanview balcony.

* When: Ideal for summer or fall. During July and August, the resort offers complimentary trolley service to Perkins Cove, downtown Ogunquit and Ogunquit beach.

* Where: Located on the south coast of Maine, just an hour from Boston, its a great option for a road-tripping girl's getaway.

* Don't Miss: Spa lovers will be in heaven! The oceanfront, adults-only spa building contains a full-service spa, 75-foot lap pool, whirlpool, sauna, steam room, fitness center, spa boutique and 32 oversized guest rooms. Local ingredients are incorporated into spa services such as the Maine Blueberry Body Wrap and the Maine Blueberry Manicure and Pedicure. Other body treatments, facials and massages sound great too including the Cliff House Seashell Massage (uses warm seashells to balance your energy, improve circulation and boost lymphatic drainage) and the Wild Lime Blossom Scalp Massage.

* Booking: The resort offers a variety of year-round packages. My favorites are the 3-night Seaside Shopper and Spa Sampler programs or the 2-night Spa & Coastal Shopper. Pricing varies by season and mini-suites are available too (extra $50 per night) for an even more luxe getaway.

Skin Soooooo Soft...

If you're heading out of town this weekend for a minimoon, honeymoon or maybe just a relaximoon, here are some travel toiletry sets worth checking out.

Flying first class?

M-LAB Anti-Aging Travel Collection, $130

Guests at London's legendary Connaught Hotel receive complimentary M Lab goodies from the butler team (yes, they are trained in skincare!). That should tell you something about the M LAB's cult following in Europe. Originally created for dermatologists and plastic surgeons, M LAB's products are the most powerful anti-aging skin-care line on the market. This anti-aging collection reduces fine lines and wrinkles, and overall helps improve your skin’s condition. The travel kit includes a cleanser, toner, anti-aging creme and serum, day treatment SPF 15 and and eye cream. If you're in the mood to splurge, your skin will surely thank you.



In coach class?

Crabtree & Evelyn India Hicks Island Living Travel set, $35

British interior designer and model India Hicks consulted with Crabtree & Evelyn to launch this new collection of her favorite beauty necessities. Her love for the Bahamas inspired this travel set which includes a body cream and polish and a tropical green, citrus and spider lilies fragrance, in a vintage-inspired palm print bag. A real bargain to keep your skin looking as good as globetrotting Elle MacPherson if you ask me.

And, if you don't have any travel plans, now is a great time to start looking. The New York Times' Practical Traveler reports that there are plenty of good travel deals to be had in Europe!

Bon voyage!

Bubblicious!

All this talk about Madonna gets me thinking back to the 80's. I don't miss the neon but I am happy for the return of the bubble dress. I spotted this cute one from BCBG and I think it would be a great number for a rehearsal dinner or even a destination wedding.




It's $290 but the website is offering $100 off purchases of $300 or more, so why not grab a fab clutch too.

I am torn between this ruched satin clutch in Gravel with a diamond-like lucite closure:

and this beaded satin clutch in black:

So, flip a coin or maybe just channel your inner Material Girl and buy them both!

First Class, Coach or Cargo!

CARGO's lip gloss is one of my favorite things. I'm not sure which I love more - the shimmering glosses or the groovy foreign land names. From Bora Bora, Waikiki and Walla Walla to Machu Picchu, San Fran and Xai Xai, browsing through these babies in Sephora can suddenly feel like a trip around the world.

Each jumbo tin features two colors side by side perfect for mixing and matching or wearing solo. The coverage is light and glossy without being sticky (who wants their hair to stick to their lips when its windy?). Think powerful shine and subtle color.



Wouldn't it be fun to have a lip gloss that matches your honeymoon destination? Or for those of us with active imaginations, there's always La La Land.

Available for $20 online at numerous retailers but I'd stick with Sephora where you can test drive the colors.

Have passport and panties, will travel...

One of my very favorite friends never ever leaves home without her Blackberry, her passport and a pair of spare panties. She has learned to be prepared for any last minute travel deals, overseas business trips and perhaps an upcoming proposal (hint, hint you know who you are).

I going to surprise her with some Passport Panties, emergency panties cleverly disguised in a color coordinated faux crocodile passport cover. Your choice of styles (boy short and thong) and colors (champagne, tomato cocktail, black coffee, latte, pink lemonade and sparkling water) for $22 to $26 each.

If you can get past the Mad Men era airline stewardesses on the website, check them out. I think they'd be a great shower gift for a Globetrotting Bride-to-be or a cute "Will you be my bridesmaid?" present for a destination wedding. Or just an all around good item to throw in your carry-on for your next getaway. Just be careful not to give them to the customs officer...

Last Travel Fling Before Wedding Bells Ring

I'd like to believe that my friends and I started the trend of destination bachelorette trips. I mean, way back in 2004, The New York Times wrote a story on the Caribbean cruise that we organized when our friend Lisa tied the knot.

Since then, it has become the tradition with my friends that the wedding festivities are not complete without a "Last Travel Fling Before Wedding Bells Ring" escape.

For my August bachelorette trip, my fabulous bridal party whisked me off to Bermuda where we had time to perfect our tans, detox from all the wedding planning stress, enjoy fabulous food and just enjoy some fun in the sun girl time.

We enjoyed a pampering stay at The Fairmont Hamilton Princess (my girls know how to travel in style) which was in walking distance to Hamilton's shopping, restaurants and bars. We spent our days sailing, snorkeling, beaching, shopping and enjoying tourist sites like the famed Crystal and Fantasy Caves. In the evening, we enjoyed Hamilton's nightlife and favorite restaurants including The Pickled Onion and The Lobster Pot.




























So, today, I'm officially kicking off the "Last Travel Fling Before Wedding Bells Ring" escape posting. Each Friday, I'll be showcasing an array of exciting bachelorette trip ideas for getaways near and far. I'll even throw in some bachelor trips too so the guys don't get jealous.

Hello there!

Hi and welcome to first Globetrotting Bride blog entry. Now that my wedding is over, I'm very excited to focus on my new project - a new blog where travel and weddings collide in style. I look forward to sharing juicy tidbits with you on some of my favorite topics including all things travel, fun and tasty party ideas and great ways to incorporate these ideas into weddings. Along the way, I'll share wedding planning tips from the experts, food and beverage trends, vacation hotspots prefect for pre- and post-wedding getaways and fabulous finds from my daily travels in NYC and beyond. So, sit back, relax and enjoy the ride.