Based on our recent experience eating our way through New Zealand, the country’s food scene is bursting at the seams not only with talented chefs discovering the agricultural bounty of their island nation, but also farmers' markets where the producers and purveyors of all these fabulous foodstuffs are peddling their wares and showing off the best of what they grow.

To find out just where all these tasty products are coming from and to meet some of the growers, we stopped by two of the country’s best known weekend farmers’ markets at opposite ends of New Zealand: ]]> EricRosen 2011-12-21T16:06:18-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2011/12/20/15324/954

Christmas markets are an advent of countries like Germany and Austria, but the honored holiday tradition has been adopted by cultures the world over.

In London, there's yuletide market merriment to be found stretching from the Thames to Columbia Road. Sprinkled throughout the city, these shopping fairs feature vendors hawking everything from fresh mulled wine to crafts to handmade jewels, offering ample opportunity to shop for presents and partake of seasonal cheer.

There are only a few days left to peruse the "chalet" stalls for last-minute gifts as you take in the sight of strung lights and sip on hot cocoa. We've highlighted three of the city's best Christmas markets:]]> Heidi Atwal 2011-12-20T15:32:04-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2011/10/4/13206/2527

These days, when you think of Bangkok, does the "Hangover 2" phrase "Holla, city of squalor" pop into mind? It did ours, until we freaking went there and got tangled in its web of awesomeness. Bangkok is truly a world metropolis to be experienced over more than a few days, but we'll be detailing several places and things that simply can't be left undone. Join us, but watch where you step.

You MUST get good and lost at Chatuchak.

If you've been to one, big market in a major Asian city, you've been to them all, right? WRONG! Each metropolis comes with its own flavor, its own grime, its own crazy insane buying and selling spree. Chatuchak Weekend Market in Bangkok is the market in Thailand, mainly because it's the largest market in the entire country, but also because it's a place infamous for being able to buy anything (though times have changed).

What hasn't changed, however, is the labyrinth of small aisles that weave through vendors piled high with everything from run-of-the-mill cheapie Pashmina scarves (see photo above) to wall-size original works of art, to puppies wearing barrettes.

It's a melee, but it's worth it.]]> JetSetCD 2011-10-05T09:49:29-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2011/9/13/34727/9701

What do you think of when you imagine a street market in an Asian metropolis? There's probably the stereotypical image of a slew of carts hocking spicy meats, plus tons of T-shirt stands and some knock-off purse booths. All of that is correct, but then you can turn a corner and encounter some of the more special offerings, like puppies. Or flowers made from a carved bar of soap. Or contact lenses that make your pupils look huge, thus making you look like an anime character.

And this is Japan, right? Wrong. It's Thailand. Sometimes it's difficult to tell, however. Bangkok has its districts like any great city; there's Chinatown, an Indian neighborhood, the Japanese district and—of course—the foreign backpacker ghetto that is Khao San Road.

While we don't advocate buying things off the street which you will then stick into your eyes, shopping for such things is a great only-in-asia experience. If you're dead-set on buying, though, the sushi-shaped contact lens cases were super cute.

[Photo: Jaunted]]]> JetSetCD 2011-09-13T13:26:27-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2011/7/28/17290/4532

Borough Market is routinely heralded as the Queen Bee of London's farmer's markets, a locus of organic cuisine that is every gourmand's dream come true. On Saturdays, however, it is aswarm with even more tourists than usual, clogging pedestrian walkways and bringing about stall lines that can be unbearably long, however skilled and quick their proprietors may be.

Though we have a special place in our heart for Borough, a recent trip to East London's Broadway Market has converted us to devotees of the latter haven for pesticide-free produce. Read through our Top Five Reasons Broadway Market is Cooler Than Borough Market, after the jump, for a few convincing arguments in favor of the slightly less-trafficked neighborhood gem.]]> Heidi Atwal 2011-07-29T10:35:01-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2010/7/21/161435/031

A few days ago, we related to you the results of what could be the most important scientific test thus far this year: our taste test of Philadelphia's best cheesesteak joints. We laughed (at the church groups at Pat's), we cried (over Geno's xenophobia) and we ate some damned awesome cheesesteak (at Jim's), but in all of our fervor to taste these three, we completely forgot that we actually visited a fourth: Carmen's Famous.

Carmen's was our first stop when we arrived off the train in Philly, and it joins a couple other cheesesteak booths inside of Reading Terminal Market. You won't hear folks from the City of Brotherly Love exclaiming their passion for Carmen's like they do for Pat's or Jim's, simply because their cheesesteaks are pretty standard. Nothing to write home about, but edible. ]]> JetSetCD 2010-07-21T16:14:35-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2010/1/25/125929/168

Have you ever wanted to explore the Las Vegas of the East, Macau? Sit back and count your chips then as we follow Twitter celeb Stefanie Michaels, aka Adventure Girl, as she explores this southern Chinese leisure town. Each day this week, she'll reveal another adventure. Join her 1.5 million followers on Twitter for more Macau conversation @AdventureGirl, and don't forget us @Jaunted!

There are many places to find off the beaten path in Macau. If you’re adventurous and like to “get lost” while traveling, Macau’s local vibrant marketplaces offer a safe haven to explore, along with a culture-filled adventure. I love the idea of “getting lost” in a foreign land and felt totally comfortable doing so in Macau.

The only hitch for some travelers may be the language barrier. Chinese or Portuguese, Macau’s other official language, are primarily spoken by the Macanese. English is spoken in most tourist areas, yet I was hard pressed to find English speakers at any of the local market areas. For travelers who don’t speak either of the nation’s two main languages and find this intimidating, guides can be hired to get around the local’s areas. ]]> Adventure Girl 2010-01-26T12:30:07-05:00 Search Jaunted string http://www.jaunted.com/search/