Traveling the world for Free at Rizzoli Bookshop (Including a List of Unique Travel Reads)

13:06 Steampunk 0 Comments

Not everyone can afford to hop on a plane and travel around the world. Sometimes, however, you just need to get creative. The other day while I was strolling down Fifth Avenue in New York , it began to rain. Of course, I didn’t have a jacket or an umbrella, so I ran down W. 57th to try to find somewhere to take shelter, which is how I stumbled upon a great staycation resort: Rizzoli Bookstore .

Not to sound dramatic, but as soon as I entered, I realized that everything happens for a reason. The cozy, dimly lit shop was a peaceful reprieve from the chaos outside. As people quietly perused three floors of literary treasures, slow paced jazz and blues music trickled from the speakers above.

As I began to look around, I realized that Rizzoli’s is more than just a bookshop. I could have spent the entire day there, sampling photos, text, and music from all over the globe. In fact, it was entirely possible to have an around the world trip without setting foot outside the door.

You’re probably thinking I sat in the travel section all afternoon, reading guidebooks and travel anthologies, but this is actually the one area of the shop that I didn’t look in. There was just too much else to explore in the art, cooking, wine, design, and architecture sections that really brought foreign cities to life for me.

When you first walk in there is an enormous “imaginary museum” (book) by Phaidon that introduces you to art, history, and culture all over the world. In the culinary section, I learned the art of Italian wines and how to create authentic Asian cuisine. Some titles even reminded me that they could have been inspired by travel and written by backpackers, such as A Cook’s Journey to Japan , Lidia’s Italy in America , and Dos Caminos Mexican Street Food . I also learned a good debate about wine in Thin Skin: Why the French Hate Australian Wine .

Moving on to the Design section, I gained knowledge on cultural style, furnishings, and decoration in titles like Scandinavian Design , Living in Argentina , and Chinese Style Interiors: Furniture Details . In the Architecture area, I began furiously adding to my bucket list while perusing 1001 Buildings You Must See Before You Die (Next destination: Verona, Italy , to see the Castelvecchio). I also couldn’t help but look at Surprising Architecture Ibiza , as I had always viewed the city as more of a party hub than one known for art and design.

Other titles that I used as a vehicle for my exploration include New York Times Photographs , 1001 Paintings You Must See Before You Die , Global Remains: Abandoned Architecture and Objects From Seven Continents …you get the gist.

And don’t think you need to come to Rizzoli’s to get this kind of creative experience (although I will say it is an awesome bookshop!). Explore your own neighborhood to find some hidden gems that will allow you to travel the world without ever leaving home.