How Much Is Three Ounces?

Five 3-ounce bottles fit comfortably inside a 1-quart bag
with room for your travel toothpaste

Okay, let's assume I'm not asking the obvious. Three ounces is 90 mL, the amount of any one liquid or gel you can take in a carry-on bag (all liquids together to fit inside a 1-quart plastic bag). Anyone who's traveled in the past nine years is familiar with TSA's rules.

What I'm really asking is how far will three ounces get you? Will three ounces of shampoo be enough for a two-week trip? A two-month trip? Will three ounces of face wash last as long as three ounces of shampoo? I don't know the answers to these questions - but I wish I did. Knowing exactly how much lotion and body wash I need would really help me pack light. So I'm going to answer my own question: I'm going to put three ounces of essential bath products to the test and see how long they last.

Before I can conduct my experiment, I have to locate 3-ounce bottles. There are a wide variety of products on the market, including a set of four bottles by Eagle Creek ($15) and another set of four by Bed, Bath, & Beyond ($5). In the end, I've decided to order my bottles individually (and much more cheaply) at PlasticTravelBottles.com ($0.98 a bottle and a flat shipping rate of $1.99, but be warned: they only accept PayPal and they ship from Singapore, so order well in advance).

All bottles full on Monday morning, November 29, 2010

Here they are, all set to go: shampoo, body wash, face wash, toner, and lotion. As of today, I will use only these 3-ounce bottles until their contents are gone - and I'll let you know, one by one, as the contenders drop. To provide you with some context for comparing my results with what you're likely to experience: I use shampoo and body wash once a day, face wash and toner twice a day, and lotion all over once a day. I'm 5'6" and have short hair.

Just to underscore the importance of packing the correct amount of liquids - my five 3-ounce bottles actually weigh 19 ounces when they're full, rather than the 15 you would expect. Liquids are heavy, so it's definitely best not to overpack.

All right, I think we're set to go. We'll see just how much three ounces really is!

Copyright 2010 Sara Harding

More from the Department of Unfortunate Names

I bet all the guys shop there.

Groningen, the Netherlands

Copyright 2010 Sara Harding

Pozzuoli: A Day Trip from Naples with Lots to Offer

Underneath the Roman amphitheater in Pozzuoli

If your travels through Italy take you to Naples, you should consider taking a day trip to Pozzuoli. Pozzuoli is practically a suburb of Naples and you can get there in half an hour by taking a metro train from Garibaldi Station. Not only is it easy and cheap to get to Pozzuoli, this gritty but charming harbor town has something for everyone.

One of my favorite attractions is the Roman amphitheater. You can wander around the entire structure, including the underground chambers where the beasts and gladiators were kept. Numerous signs provide detailed explanations of how the amphitheater worked and you won't have to fight crowds, stand in lines, or pay the hefty entrance fee that you will to see the Colosseum (there is an entrance fee at Pozzuoli, but it's reasonable). If you go in the summer, the underground chambers make a refreshing break from the South Italian sun and the grounds surrounding the amphitheater are littered with sculptures and architectural carvings - just don't go looking for the museum that the signs mention: they never built it.

The ancient Roman marketplace when the water table is low

Another great Pozzuoli ruin is the ancient Roman marketplace, also called the Serapeum, located near the harbor. This was once the heart of the Roman city of Puteoli, an important commercial center, and today it gives an interesting insight into the volcanic geology of Campania, the region of Italy around Naples. The marketplace is seriously affected by bradyseism, the rise and fall of the earth due to volcanic activity. Sometimes the bottom of the market is dry and visible, as in the photo above. At other times, as on my last visit, the entire market floor is covered with several feet of water, complete with pond weeds and hopping frogs.

A sulfurous steam vent at Solfatara

If ancient ruins don't interest you, try hiking up the road for more volcanic activity. The crater of the dormant Solfatara volcano provides a strange lunar landscape complete with pits of boiling mud, vents of steam, yellow and orange sulfur crystals growing on the rocks, and a constant smell of fireworks. At one end of the vast crater is a seriously toasty medieval sauna, not for the faint of heart. The ground is also quite hot, so be careful if you're wearing sandals or flip-flops.

Of course, no day trip would be complete without great food. Try stopping at 'A Scarpetta, a traditional Napolitano restaurant located at Via S. Paolo 15 (you'll find it if you face the main harbor, then follow the waterside road to your left). 'A Scarpetta makes fabulous seafood dishes. For a genuine culinary delight, order the antipasti di mare. Just be warned - you might not have room for dinner afterward!


Copyright 2010 Sara Harding

A Great Bar In Florence: Plaz

Enjoying the warm March weather at Platz

Plaz is a bizarrely German-sounding name for an Italian bar, but it was where my Florentine friends wanted to go after an evening of pizza, so why not check it out?

I was not disappointed. Despite the name, Plaz is pure Florence: the decor is a modernized version of Renaissance luxury, they have live music at night, and they even offer a cocktail list - and if you've ever tried to order something more complicated than a gin-and-tonic in a European bar, you know what a triumph a cocktail list is. Following my tendency to order anything I've never had before, I tried my first Rossini that night, a bubbly concoction perfect for celebrating an evening out with good friends.

I've been back to Plaz many times since that first night in March. They offer a wide selection of wine, beer, cocktails, and simple eats. They also have an excellent aperitivo - the Italian version of happy hour, where buying a drink grants you access to a table full of tasty appetizers. During the summer, you can sit across the street under one of Florence's many public porticoes and enjoy some good people-watching with your glass of chianti.

Plaz is located at Via Pietrapiana 36r, across from the Piazza dei Ciompi.

Food: Good basics and a tasty aperitivo spread
Atmosphere: Modern Renaissance with a hint of goth
Price: Reasonable (8-10 euros for a glass of wine, but that's pretty normal for Florence)

Bottom Line: A nice stop for an afternoon drink, and live music makes it great for a night out


Copyright 2010 Sara Harding

Sardinia's "Cheese with Worms" Makes the Media

Casu marzu or formaggio con vermi: Sardinia's cheese with worms

Obviously, you'll find a mention of casu marzu, Sardinia's maggot-riddled cheese, in every "Guide to Sardinia" on the market. How could you not? Who could resist writing about a traditional delicacy that is not only infested with fly larvae, but is also more or less illegal? (It may have gotten around the illegality recently by being declared a "traditional food," but you still can't buy it in Sardinian grocery stores.)

Trying casu marzu was an explicit goal of mine last time I visited Sardinia, and one I was lucky enough to accomplish. I was thrilled to finally take part in this weird, wonderful, and slightly freaky cultural experience. For the curious: the cheese is sharp and strong and you don't notice the worms if you close your eyes.

What I never anticipated was seeing a reference to casu marzu in American popular culture. Immagine my surprise when an infestation of maggots on the most recent episode of Bones was caused, not by a human corpse, but instead - you guessed it! - by an illegal Sardinian delicacy called casu marzu. I practically fell out of my chair. I guess the show must have someone researching all the harmless things that can possibly be mistaken for murder evidence, but still - with a little luck, maybe some national exposure like this will get people to realize what an interesting place Sardinia is.

Photo of casu marzu by Shardan, accessed through the Wikimedia Commons
Text Copyright 2010 Sara Harding

Stock Up on Travel Essentials at Aveda!

The holiday season means more of Aveda's great
products come in convenient travel sizes.

I love Aveda. I love their products and I love their dedication to preserving ecological and human diversity, which makes me feel good about buying their products. Washing my hair with Aveda's invigorating Shampure shampoo is a favorite part of my morning ritual. Also, scents are terribly evocative - and culturally specific - so my Aveda shampoo actually smells like home to me. And when I'm traveling, there's nothing more comforting than having a bit of home come along for the ride.

That's why I'm heading to Aveda now to stock up on my favorite products. For most of the year, Aveda offers only the basics in trial sizes. But around the holidays when everyone's on the lookout for stocking-stuffers and little gifts, Aveda markets a much fuller range of their products in sizes compatible with a carry-on. If you love Aveda's Pure Abundance Volumizing Hairspray or their Rosemary Mint Body Lotion, now is the time to find these products in travel sizes.

Prices for Aveda's trial sizes start at $3.50 and range up to $10, depending on the product. Most of the bottles are refillable, so once you've purchased a travel bottle of - say - Phomollient with its unusual pump mechanism, you can simply refill it from your larger (and more economical) version.

As we all become more aware of the size of our carbon footprints - and as green and eco-tourism take top spots on the savvy traveler's wish list - Aveda's trial sizes and travel gift sets are a great way to have it all: quality, environmental consciousness, and the scent of home.









Photos taken at the Douglas J Aveda Institute, Ann Arbor
Text Copyright 2010 Sara Harding

From the Department of Unfortunate Names

I can only imagine their ad campaigns

Munich, Germany

Copyright 2010 Sara Harding

Caffe degli Spiriti

The chic and fun Caffe degli Spiriti in Cagliari

The Caffe degli Spiriti is one of my favorite bars - ever, period, full stop. Located on top of the Bastione San Remy in Cagliari, Sardinia, Caffe degli Spiriti offers great views, contemporary surroundings, and a delightful sense of fun. My favorite way to enjoy the Caffe is to order a glass of wine and lounge in one of the rope hammocks in back - a particularly romantic option if you're squeezing up against the one you love.

Looking out over the city is beautiful by day, but even more gorgeous by night, and as the night wears on, Caffe degli Spiriti rapidly becomes one of Cagliari's hottest hang-outs. Go early to claim the good spots, and settle in with a bottle of Sardinia's signature red wine, cannonau. It depends a little on who's serving - and how cute the customer is - but a bottle of wine will often come with a selection of local cheeses and cured meats. Sit back and enjoy the delicious traditions of Sardinia - in one of its chicest bars!

Food: No full menu but the bar snacks are great
Atmosphere: Chic, contemporary, fun
Price: Reasonable (20 euros for a bottle of good wine)
Bottom Line: A sexy spot to party the night away

A lazy afternoon at the Caffe - by midnight, it'll be packed!

Copyright 2010 Sara Harding

Favorite Places: The Bastione San Remy, Cagliari

On top of the Bastione San Remy

A recent thread on Lonely Planet's Thorn Tree asked: "Sardinia where to go?" It got me thinking about the fact that I haven't written much about Sardinia yet, even though it's one of my favorite destinations and I find frequent excuses to return to it. I don't know what I love most about Sardinia. Maybe it's the historic but lively cities. Maybe it's the vast empty landscape dotted with ancient ruins... and flocks of sheep. Or maybe it's the exquisite culture of food and wine that ranges from Michelin Star-winning restaurants to delicious home cooking to the utterly bizarre (care for some snails baked in salt? calf thyroids? cheese with worms?).

Heading to the top of the  Bastione

So I decided it was time to write about Sardinia and at least begin introducing readers to one of my Favorite Places. My favorite city in Sardinia is the island's capital, Cagliari, and one of my favorite spots in Cagliari is the beautiful Bastione San Remy. The Bastione is an 18th century fortification built on top of Cagliari's old medieval wall system, originally constructed 400 years earlier. Now the Bastione serves as a beautiful look-out point from which to admire Cagliari's colorful rooftops, winding streets, and blue harbor. If you head up the Bastione's broad double stairs from Piazza Costituzione, you'll find yourself in a grand piazza. All around you stretch gorgeous views: to the south is the sea with its harbor full of cruise ships, to northwest is Cagliari's lagoon with its complement of pale pink flamingoes, and to the north, up yet more flights of stairs, rises the castello itself, Cagliari's old fortified city where you'll find one of its great cathedrals as well as its archaeological museum.

Enjoying the sun

There are plenty of benches on the Bastione if you want to sit in the sun and admire the palm trees, and there are cafes at the edges of the piazza if you need a refreshing cappuccino after climbing the stairs. If you visit the Bastione on a weekend in the summer you're likely to find an artisan market selling jewelry, sculpture, and hand-made t-shirts. And if you're looking for nightlife, the Bastione is a great stop. At night its cafes fill up with Cagliari's glitterati and occasional events like Argentine tango in the piazza keep things lively.

Napoleon's cannonballs

A final amusing note about the Bastione should appeal to history buffs. When you visit the Bastione, take a good look at the pink building you can see in the background in the picture above. The careful observer will spot three cannonballs still embedded in the wall - a small souvenir of the Napoleonic Wars.

Copyright 2010 Sara Harding

Beauty in the Beast

The crushing loneliness of a Medusa in the Capitoline Museums, Rome.

Copyright 2010 Sara Harding

The Best of the Bazaar: Colorful Gloves in Florence

Leather gloves from Florence against a colorful silk scarf from Syria.

Traveling in Italy has permanently shifted my style toward the colorful. American clothes can be so drab, at least if you're past the age where you're shopping in the junior's section. My inner Italian rebels at the color choices she's offered in American clothing stores: black, brown, camel, beige, cream, denim... at best, she may hope to find hunter green or mulberry or red (if it's around the holidays).

That's why I find myself gravitating toward bright accessories when I travel - a khaki trench coat is just more fun if you dress it up with an orange silk scarf and blue gloves. But where can you find nice blue gloves? In one of my all-time favorite shopping destinations: Florence.

From designer stores to chalk artists, charming fountains to gorgeous architecture, it's easy to stumble onto beauty in Florence. The markets are no exception. There are several around the city and they're full of gorgeous scarves, jewelry, clothes, and a Florentine specialty: colorful and sumptuous leather.

Leather handbags in the Market of San Lorenzo

Any kind of leather you want is available in the markets of Florence: jackets, handbags, shoes, belts, leather-bound journals, and - of course - gloves. The gloves are my favorite. Not only are they an elegant accessory, the variety they come in is practically infinite. In the Market of San Lorenzo, the largest of Florence's markets, you can find gloves in every color from lime green to canary yellow to my selection, turquoise blue - and those are just the solid colors! Other common options are black with red piping, multi-colored pastel patchwork, and fingerless driving gloves with chestnut leather palms and crocheted cotton backs.

Not only are the gloves gorgeous, they're extremely affordable. My pair, which are unlined, cost 14 euros, which is pretty standard for outdoor market prices. A few euros extra will get you the silk-lined variety, and there are also fleece- and fur-lined options. Whether you love gloves for their bygone-era drama, are trying to find a match for an unusual scarf, or just appreciate fine leather, a pair of Florentine gloves is a fitting souvenir of this beautiful city.

Copyright 2010 Sara Harding

Home Again... On The Michigan Flyer

Back in the Detroit airport... long before I wanted to be.

So... I'm home again. I had a wonderful trip in New York and returning home is a bit anticlimactic. I already miss my boyfriend, too - so much so that I'm going to write a short post and then put on my pajamas and eat candy.

The big thing I want to share isn't my post-boyfriend depression, however, it's a useful resource I discovered while trying to find a way home from the Detroit airport. A friend dropped me off for my outgoing flight, but no friend was available to pick me up on my way home. Of course, I put off thoughts of leaving until the very last minute, so at 9 pm the night before my departure I found myself cross-legged on my boyfriend's bed googling ways to get home.

Of course, there's a cab stand at the Detroit airport and there are lots of shuttle services, but I'm trying to save money so I wanted something a little cheaper than the $35 shuttle service that was my most economical option. Fortunately, I happened upon a useful bus service called the Michigan Flyer. Prices range from $15-$30 one way depending on your destination: Ann Arbor, Jackson, or East Lansing. There are also small discounts for round-trip tickets and/or multiple passengers. Booking online - even the night before - was fast and simple and the bus driver was impressively courteous and helpful. He offered us complimentary bottled water and also offered to arrange for taxis to meet us at the bus's drop-off points.

I know this is a rather specific travel tip, but I hope some of my fellow Michigan residents find it useful. If you live in Ann Arbor, Jackson, or East Lansing and you need a way to the airport, the Michigan Flyer offers great service and convenience at a great price.

Copyright 2010 Sara Harding

Mill Korean Restaurant

Mill Korean Restaurant, 2895 Broadway, New York

As I wander around New York, I'm loving the abundance of good food to be had conveniently and inexpensively. For example, I love the “green carts” that sell fresh produce to passers-by on the street. Why don't we have these in Michigan, where the greenest food you can get from a street vendor is a hotdog with extra pickle relish?

I also love the restaurants here in New York. I haven't exactly been checking out the haute cuisine, but I have seen an abundance of small restaurants offering tasty-looking dishes for less than I would pay back home. Today I decided to check out a Korean place on Broadway near my boyfriend's apartment. Mill Korean Restaurant packs about 15 tables into a cosy interior with a few more tables out on the sidewalk (New Yorkers seem determined to dine al fresco until there's actually snow falling on them). The ethnic wooden decor and the old newspaper clippings on the wall give the restaurant a lived-in, comfortable feel that made it the perfect place to spend a cold afternoon. Lunch started with dishes of delicious cold appetizers, then moved onto miso broth, then to our entrees: beef bibim bap for my boyfriend and stir-fried rice noodles for me.

The food was spicy and memorably good, the green tea was nutty and complex, and the price was fantastic: everything together came to under $20, including my 20% tip. My curious nature generally leads me to try a new place whenever possible, but Mill Korean Restaurant is going on my list of restaurants to return to.

Food: Very good Korean food
Atmosphere: Cosy
Price: Inexpensive ($7-$8 for lunch)
Bottom Line: A great lunch spot on a cold day

Copyright 2010 Sara Harding