Bremen by day

WOW -- a gigantic #worldwar2 #German #airraidshelter in the middle of der #Burgerpark in #Bremen #webstagram #instalike #beautiful #webstalike #instagramhub #architecture #nature #naturelovers #forest #trees

A photo posted by Queen Esther (@thisisqueenesther) on Oct 9, 2015 at 10:39am PDT

Wide awake and dreaming in Berlin

#Berlin bei nacht. #graffitti #graffittiart #publicart #art #warehouse #webstagram #instalike #beautiful #webstalike #instagramhub #instagood #travelnoire #travel #travelnoir #Germany #globetrotter #moonlight #moon #supermoon

A photo posted by Queen Esther (@thisisqueenesther) on Oct 1, 2015 at 5:30am PDT

My Travel Essentials -- The Top Five

Of course, there are certain things that live in anyone's carry on bag when traveling internationally -- passport, wallet, a very smartphone, housekeys.  And there's the well-stocked girly bag that always lives in just about any purse -- hand cream, hand sanitizer, lip balm, tissue, etc.  These are a few of the other things that are coming with me when I fly the friendly skies next week.

1. Bose Quiet Comfort Acoustic Noise-Cancelling Headphones -- When it's time to make the world go away, accept no substitutes. 
   
   


2. A fully loaded iPad Air 2 -- With this handy ultra lightweight tablet, I'll be able to make videos, write and record songs, watch movies, practice the piano and work on my music theory, Skype my pals and a lot of other things I haven't even thought of yet. 
   
   
   
3. A Satechi bottle top portable humidifier -- Nothing has the capacity to minimize my vocal mojo quite like a dry hotel room.  If nothing's wrong, that dryness can make things problematic. And if there's a problem, it can make things worse. The steam from a hot shower helps in a small room -- but not for long. This portable device is a great solution.  Its simple, fits on just about any water bottle and will last up to 8 hours.
   
   
   
4. I hate to sound like Howard Hughes but the tap water on airplanes is notoriously filthy and everything else is suspect.  Thanks to Britta, I've fallen out of the habit of buying a bottle of water whenever I'm thirsty.  And when it's this easy to drink water, I tend to avoid everything else.
   
   
   
5. ...and because I'm turning into a boy scout, I'll need a portable charger.

pithy little thoughts

unbelievable but true -- the tour with james "blood" ulmer and odyssey is almost over. it feels like i've been away for a month! this entire experience has fortified me, somehow. i feel much improved overall: stronger, lighter and way more focused.

whenever i travel abroad, i learn more than i think. here's the top five that's floating around in my head at the moment:

1. get your electronic gadgets in order, stat: a kindle is a lot lighter than a few books.
2. underpack -- because those excess airline weight fees can be pricey.
3. oversleep, oversleep, oversleep -- because when you travel, you're probably not getting enough sleep, anyway. if you think you're oversleeping, you're probably barely breaking even.
4. eat clean, eat less than usual and don't eat at night.
5. there ain't no blackgirl hair products within easy reach, so pack what you need - or better yet, put your natural hair in a protective style before you leave home.

here's a bonus: never eat seafood in a land-locked country.

i'm still trying to figure out phone usage (i have an android), how to get around a no-internet situation, how to pack more than one pair of pumps and still staying underweight, how to workout in tiny hotel rooms, finding a smaller lighter laptop for travel and of course making my simplest manicure last longer than a week. 

ten things

i'm getting ready to skip town with blood. in my head, my bags are already packed -- sort of. one of them is practically empty to make room for all the stuff i'd like to bring back, like kirschwasser and kindereggs (just in time for halloween!) and of course, something strange and unexpected, like a vintage pair of lederhosen. (just in time for halloween!) who knows what i'll find, if i look hard enough.

believe it or not, i need a separate zippered container in my suitcase for all of my beauty products -- because frankly, my left leg could drink up one of those travel sized bottles of lotion overnight, all by itself. and no, i'm not even going to get into how thirsty my thick, thick hair is in its natural state.

this is my latest list, spun out of me haphazardly on the way to the gym:

1. zantac
2. grether's pastilles blackcurrant glycerine drops
3. universal adaptor
4. digital recorder
5. humidifier
6. slippery elm tea
7. small (but powerful!) mini-speakers
8. collapsible water bottle
9. collapsible to-go container
10. motrin

there's got to be a better, more efficient way to travel internationally -- without paying a lot of fees. maybe this is it.

charleston sc and beyond

i spent last weekend in charleston, sc looking at churches and talking to officiants with my friend. although there was a chill in the air, it was still sunny and beautiful. i love this cooper river bridge (also called the arthur ravenel jr. bridge). crossing it feels epic, somehow.



trust me, it's much more overwhelming when you're standing on it.



thankfully,we still made it to the isle of palms to stick our feet in the ocean before we left.

travel tips from this blackgrrl on the go

yeah, i know. you're not me. but if you're anything like me (and who isn't!), you'll need something on this list. i intend to do quite a bit of traveling this year, so i thought i'd touch on and review my favorite grrl gear and share it with all of you.

1. flip flops. put your shoes away and put these on when you get to the airport. if you do, you'll be the one to breeze through security.


2. a well-equipped pda. it's nice to have all the information you need on a city in the palm of your hand. and other stuff too. like an up-to-the-minute currency converter. a clothes size converter. and basic phrases in a dozen languages, stuff like where's the bathroom and when is the train leaving and who do you think you are. heh. stuff like that.


3. noise-cancelling headphones. this is essential, for obvious reasons. although they're pricey, they're worth every nickel. believe me -- when you're stuck next to that bratty screaming kid, you know you'll wish you had them. i highly recommend BOSE.


4. a pocket roll-up piano. if i can get to a flat surface, i can practice the piano. amazing.
5. an ebook reader. i want one of these more than i want an iPhone. of course everybody's got their version -- sony's is beautiful, amazon's looks straight outta the 70's, like tandy manufactured it -- and everybody has drm issues. they've got to get all of that straight before i pay $299 for anything. i'm sure apple will come out with their better, more streamlined and way more expensive version and blow everyone else's completely out of the water. i don't care. the idea of taking 160 books on the road with me without having to actually tote them around is very appealing. in the meantime, instead of buying the latest crap fashion magazine at the airport kiosk, lose yourself in a graphic novel. i highly recommend Fun Home.


6. basic black tea -- preferrably Earl Grey. because somewhere in there, somebody's going to work your last nerve. you'll need a cup of tea to calm all the way down and unless you're headed for the UK, you're not going to get it. case in point: nobody seems to have any decent tea anywhere down south. (and no, Lipton doesn't even rank.) getting decent black tea (twinings, for example) is a trip and a journey. you don't walk to the bodega at the corner, new yorkers: you get in the car and drive to the piggly wiggly, the cub foods, the red & white. and then you have to find parking. and then when you get inside, you have to find the right aisle. really, it's too much. way easier to reach into my purse and pull out some lapsang souchong. (oh, and watch out for that flavored non-dairy coffee mate. it's a lu-lu.)


7. a sports bra and running shoes. because no matter where you're going, you will feel the need to hit the gym and run a mile. i eat like a longshoreman, so working out is essential.


8. of course you're bringing your laptop. but if you're without an iPod or an iPhone like me because you're not ultrapayloaded just yet, you might want to join last.fm -- if there's an internet connection, there's always a ton of great music.


9. a digital photo frame. this is a beautiful thing. all your happy moments, ever changing and at a glance. last -- and if your skin is anything like mine, certainly not least...


10. khiel's lotion, lip balm and hand cream and liquid soap. i can't even walk to the mailbox without these products. because it's a dry, dry world out there. and i'm the blackgrrl that needs moisture constantly.