Saturday, March 25, 2017

6 of my favorite Capital Cities in the world


6 of my favorite Capital Cities in the world




1. New York City
























New York City is where it all happens. Wall street, Fashion, Broadway, Hipsters, Food trends. Technically not the capital city of the USA but in my opinion its the capital city of the world. I had a beautiful love affair with New York City as my home. Just walking in a city that literally never sleeps and convenience at your doorstep (Hello Seamlessweb, Rent the Runway, Fresh Direct, Beauty services, etc.) or a subway/bus ride away, you can get anything and be anything in New York. Its a vibrant bustling city with the most talented and no-nonsense people you will find. You either love it or hate it.

My Favorite spots in New York





2. Stockholm





Stockholm has beautiful architecture, islands, people, food, culture, fashion, fika, and lifestyle. This city is stunning! From my first visit to my 8th - the experiences and memories were all different and according to the seasons. This Swedish capital morphs and changes according to seasons along with its residents. In the summer, everyone is out ALL the time and partying. When the leaves start to fall and the air gets a little colder, people prepare for the holiday season and head back to indoors-only activities. During the winter months, the days are short and the dark winter nights make walking around a bit chillier but has that mysterious air that is captured perfectly in Nordic Noir films.

When in Sweden, YOU must have a Fika






3. Amsterdam/Copenhagen































Quirky, weird, architecture, canals, coffee shops, liberals, art, Indonesian food, and eclectic. Amsterdam has the trappings of what I love. A capital city that acts like a town. This is a walking city (or if you're an expert city biker) and the trams are also easy to navigate. Residents are always on a rush on their bikes so get out of their way! However, if you find them in a cafe, coffee shop, restaurant, they are certainly a friendly bunch. I've used Amsterdam as a pit stop for a couple nights in most recent years whenever I'm traveling through Europe. The architecture is really quaint and you will want to constantly be taking pictures of every canal and bridge you pass through.

Summer part 1 in Brussels and Amsterdam





Copenhagen







Copenhagen is another fantastic walking city that is lined with colorful buildings, Danish design interior furniture, cobble stone streets, castles, palaces, museums, and tons of Michelin starred restaurants and bars. Similar to Amsterdam, Copenhagen also has residents that are in a hurry on their bikes to get to their destinations so I would only recommend renting a bike if you're an expert city cyclist. A lot of innovation and creativity goes on in Copenhagen and you can see it in the food, fashion, design, and architecture. Always looking forward and innovating, the Danes have a great quality of life in a sense that they make sure they take breaks to refresh their mind before figuring out the next great design.

My journey to Noma




4. London



Oh London! You amaze me with your stunning old architecture and new skyscrapers. Winding little alleyways to riverside walks along the Thames. I have to be honest, the first time I was in London, I wasn't too impressed. I was in a weird headspace at that time and kept comparing London to New York. London is not New York. London is London. A British metropolis with traditions of standing outside the pub while drinking beer, eating fish and chips or pie on the way home, rushing around in the tube stations, walking fast and looking preoccupied, free art museums, beautiful palaces and gardens, thriving art scene, and very cool residents. The more I visit this fine metropolis, the more I adore it and simply want to discover different neighbourhoods.

Wandering amongst hipsters in Shoreditch







5. Vienna



Music, easy public transportation, urban, good food, palaces, cafes, museums, art, and good coffee, wine, beer, schnitzel! Vienna is a wonderful city and its no big surprise that its rated very highly as one of the most liveable cities of the world. With moderate prices, big wide streets, lots of bike paths (I did rent a bike and ride through the city here - with a lot of caution of course!), friendly residents, and just gorgeous architecture. I have been to Vienna only a couple times but I want to keep returning because there is so much to do and see in this beautiful city.

Summer part 3: Music, schnitzel, museums, and palaces in Vienna





6. Singapore



And now we've come to my birth country and where I hold my permanent residence card proudly. Singapore is a small island country off the tip of Malaysia very close to the equator. The tropical temperatures really get to me and I spend most of my days indoors in Singapore. I grew up here as an expat kid and went to an international school. Those were some good and bad memories. The food scene in Singapore is incredible with local food dishes to the multitude of hipster eateries and cafes, celebrity chef owned restaurants, and not to mention the cool speakeasies, cocktail bars, and pumping clubs. Its a love/hate relationship with Singapore for me at times because it isn't easy to be a third culture kid returning to a place that I once called home. I feel like an anomaly because I speak, act, and think differently from true-blue Singaporeans due to my background. My friends in Singapore are mostly other expats or globally-minded Singaporeans. Though most of these feelings are personal conflict, subjectively speaking... Singapore is a great place with skyscrapers, urban gardens, abundance of food, shopping centres, and the mix of Chinese, Malay, Indian, Eurasian, Expats, Tourists, make it an interesting multicultural country.

A bourgeois guide to eating, drinking, shopping, and pampering in Singapore




24 comments:

  1. Your post reminded me that there are so many cities I've yet to visit! Thanks for recommending Vienna as it was never on my radar until you shared why you like it :)

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    1. Oh Vienna is wonderful! I really want to go back and experience it on my own. Out of all the cities on the list... it is the one city, I've only discovered last year as a city that I love. All of the other cities, I've spent so much time in that I consider myself an honorary resident to them all. ;-) (of course I've actually lived in both NYC and Singapore the longest. Those cities have shaped me in a profound way and consider both of them as home.)

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  2. Great list! We absolutely love Singapore and have been there 3 times already -would not mind living there for a couple of years ;) I´m also with you on NYC, from the European ones i really like Berlin & Barcelona - oh so many nice places to go to ;)

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    1. Oh NYC... one of my homes! I miss it still even though I haven't been back since I left. You know what they say, once you leave home you can never return. This rings so true with me with all of my homes (I've grown up and lived in many places around the world!).
      I used to like Berlin a lot but it is such a HUGE city! What an urban sprawl... but a fun city thats for sure!
      I almost lived in Barcelona but decided not to because it was too much fun for a city ;-) I wouldn't get any work done!

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    2. ha ha i guess you´re so right about Barcelona! I would not be able to work there also ;). Wow, sounds exciting to live in so many cities!

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    3. Right!? Barcelona has such good food, beaches, and party atmosphere! I really want to return soon. :-)

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  3. You're encouraging me to head to Singapore now! Would love to revisit Vienna too and see it through your eyes.

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    1. Singapore is a great gateway to the rest of Southeast Asia at the beginning and end of a trip or if you're a big foodie... then you just have to spend the entire time in Singapore. ;-)
      I am trying to think about how to fit in Vienna on my next trip... hehehe..

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  4. All places I've either been or want to go to! Especially Singapore and Vienna!

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  5. Oh! I only had a half a day layover in Vienna but I fell head over heels with it in just that short time!
    I also have honestly wondered if the whole "city that never sleeps" thing of New York was exaggerated - but apparently it's not?! ;)

    Good picks! I like this idea of a post!

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    1. Yes, Vienna had such an impact on me to return because there literally was so much to do, eat, see! I would love to do a winery tour on my next trip to Vienna. Gewurz veltliner is the common grape variety there (white wine similar to Riesling and Gewurs traminer)

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  6. Singapore is one of my favourite cities as well! My mom is from there so I've been to Singapore many times. I have a lot of fond memories there! :)

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    1. :-) I miss quite a bit of the older Singapore when it was less commercial and less populated though. We're always nostalgic of the past.
      I think Singapore has gained quite a bit of popularity as a destination instead of just a pit stop over the recent years among travelers.

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  7. I've only been to 3 out of 6, but those three are my top 3 as well! London was a dream city of mine because of the Spice Girls (haha and I am here now!). I went to Stockholm last year for TBEX and I thoroughly enjoyed my stay. I've been to Singapore 3 times and i go there mostly for the food and just the vibe that its like an international hub.

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    1. hahaha... oh Spice Girls! The only fault I can give for Stockholm is that taxis are really expensive and the gypsies in some T-bana stations are relentless. Other than that, its quite an amazing city.
      LOL! Everyone seems to only talk about food in Singapore.

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  8. I really identify with having bittersweet feelings about your own city... I have the same about my own (London) I'm very curious to visit Singapore though! I absolutely love Amsterdam so that would probably be my favourite out of the ones you've listed :)

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  9. Yea but I can't really call it my city as I don't hold a Singaporean passport ;-) I don't really identify with my passport country much either as I don't speak the language fluently (well fluently as much as a 3 year old child!). Amsterdam is really fantastic... I always feel like I'm home when I'm there. I don't really know why.

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  10. I've been to Amsterdam, Vienna, and I have lived in London and currently live in NYC. Totally agree with this list! I have only heard great things about Stockholm and would love to see Singapore one day. I'd add Prague to this list. It's such a beautiful city with so much interesting history.

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    1. I still consider NYC as my favorite home. :-) Technically not a capital city of the US but it is a world city with major hubs for almost every industry in the world.
      I've traveled to Prague and enjoyed my time there and loved the architecture but its not a city I'm compelled to return over and over again unless there is valid reason for me.

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  11. Can you believe I've only been to one of your fav cities? I've been to London and strangely, I had the same feeling like you had on your first visit. I wasn't that impressed either. I've only been there once but I should go there again. After all, the only time I went there, I was only 14.
    I'd love to see New York because of what it represents but I don't know when I'll find the time to go there!
    Singapore is the country I know less about but I'm curious about it and about the food. I've always heard that food from those regions is soooo good!

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    1. Oh thats a funny coincidence! I thought I was one of the rare people that had to grow to love London. I've been loving it more and more on each trip.
      You have to visit New York! I miss New York living so much that its probably the hardest break up I've ever had to go through. Check out my posts on New York and Singapore!

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  12. I definitely need to do some traveling to see these beautiful cities! I have been to Vienna and I must say, Wow! The culture, music, architecture, food were all superb!

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    1. Vienna is a stunning city! I'd like to return again someday because there's so much to see and do there!

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