The scene at Magnolia Bakery, May 29th at 5 p.m.

The “Sex and the City” movie opens nationwide this weekend. So, we got to thinking… “What would Cheapo Bradshaw* do?” 

Sweet stop 

Carrie would wait in line for 45 minutes to indulge her sweet tooth with a cupcake from Magnolia Bakery in the West Village.

Cheapo Bradshaw would bypass the c-r-a-z-y line around the corner and go to Billy’s Bakery—started by a former Magnolia employee—where we swear the cakes taste the same, if not better. A cupcake here will cost you $2, which is 25 cents less than what Magnolia charges. Hey, you’ll have a quarter to call someone who cares. Us!

A bit of shopping

Carrie would drop upwards of $600 at the Jimmy Choo shoe salon.

Cheapo Bradshaw would take the nearest subway train—probably wearing flats—downtown to Battery Park City, where the Designer Shoe Warehouse (DSW) is almost never packed and the shoes are sold at deeply discounted prices.

A quick cocktail 

Carrie would wax poetic while sipping on designer Cosmopolitans at Onieal’s Speakeasy, which was called “Scout” on the show. The “Perfect Peach Manhattan” here costs $12, not including the tip.

Cheapo Bradshaw would head to any number of fun, campy bars in the West Village, where 2-for-1 drink specials abound. Top shelf? Boots & Saddle (76 Christopher Street), a self-proclaimed “kitchsy cowboy bar,” where there’s a buy-one-get-one-free Cosmo drink special almost every night. For even more savings, print out a “free drink” coupon from the bar’s website. These “Boots” were made for sippin’!

Out on the town 

Carrie would visit the swanky Soho House, the members-only club where entertainment and literary types meet, eat lavishly (a sandwich costs $16), and enjoy looking at the rooftop pool.

Cheapo Bradshaw would browse the shelves at The Strand, the used bookstore that boasts “8 miles of books” and hosts lots of free signings, readings, and other events.

A hotel for fun 

Just because she can, Carrie would rest that gorgeous head of hair on a 6,000-count pillowcase at the Hotel Gansevoort, where room rates run from $425 to $725.

Cheapo Bradshaw would choose to stay at the Gershwin, where there’s never a shortage of characters at the bar, and the rooms are designed with flair. (In fact, they resemble what Carrie’s apartment might have been sans the HBO set designers…)

Got a tip for Cheapo Bradshaw? Leave a comment here. Then, find out how you can get your big apple break!

*About Cheapo Bradshaw: Cheapo Bradshaw adores her boyfriend “Mr. Medium” (an actual Mr. Big would be way too much of an investment) and her new eco-friendly tote bag. She scours vintage and secondhand store racks. Her gal pals are frugal and they meet once a month for book group, where they drink wine that was bought in bulk.  When CB has extra cash, she travels. 

Popularity: 12% [?]

The Florence tourism office this month launched a Cheapo-friendly initiative to give Americans visiting Florence a 10% discount on hotels, restaurants, and museums in the city. The program, named the “Fiorino Effect” after the Florentine coin once used throughout Europe, is an attempt by the city to attract the attention — and business — of American tourists spooked by the weakened dollar abroad.

Launched on May 15 and continuing through December 31, 2008, the initiative offers:

10% discounts on stays in participating hotels, B&Bs, and apartment rentals. Hundreds of properties throughout the city are participating in the promotion. The tourism office has posted this complete list of hotels on their website.

10% discount on meals in participating restaurants. Click here for a complete list of restaurants, including links to their websites. 

Discounted or free admission to museums, including the Palazzo Strozzi (20% discount), Villa Bardini, Palazzo Medici (free admission), and other sights.

How to take advantage of this discount: 

1) When booking your hotel, you should notify the hotel that you are American and will be participating in the program.

2) Download the voucher from the tourism board’s website, and have the hotel validate it upon arrival in order to take advantage of discounts at restaurants and museums.

If you have already booked your hotel for Florence, download the voucher anyhow and get it validated at the main tourism office on Via Cavour (near the Duomo). You’ll still be able to get discounts at restaurants and museums, and may be able to score a discount on the hotel (if they’re nice).

More information on the program is available on the Florence tourist office’s website.

For a list of our favorite budget-friendly hotels in Florence, check out EuroCheapo Florence.

Popularity: 15% [?]

Ok, it’s no secret. We love free music. And, the annual Fete de la Musique in Paris is one of the best ways to see tons of musical acts, bands, and performers without paying a euro cent.

The fete, which got its start in 1982, is a “come one, come all” sort of affair. Anyone can perform throughout the 24-hour event, where you can expect to see professional and famous musicians rubbing shoulders with up-and-coming artists. Heck, if you’ve got a sousaphone gathering dust, get it out!

The best part? The acts take stage all over the city. That means you can hear guitar riffs under cover of an old train station or get your groove on Seine-side.

The Fete happens on June 21st, summer solstice, a Saturday. Public transport is always discounted to allow for all day location hopping, but we recommend grabbing a good map and just hoofing it.

A few acts to follow:

For club style beats and disco dancing, hit up Biz’Art at the Quai de Valmy or head to Le Batofar, where you can see DJ Lord Finesse.

Classical music aficionados and opera goers will love Pic’Pulse at Notre Dame des Champs or the line-up planned at the Musee de la Franc Maconnerie.

Nearby hotels:

• Hotel Bellevue et du Chariot, Doubles €68
• Hotel Rivoli, Doubles €40-50
• Grand Hotel Jeanne d’Arc: Doubles €84-97
• Hippodrome Montmartre: Doubles €75-86
• Hotel du Pre, Doubles €118-130

For more information on “Fete” in English, go here.

Popularity: 11% [?]

Albergo Guerrato, pension
Calle drio la Scimia 240/a
San Polo, Venice
Doubles € 100-140 

We first fell in love with Albergo Guerrato because of its location. Just a short walk from the Rialto Bridge, it holds a coveted place in the lovely San Polo area of Venice.

But, then there was the ambiance. The Guerrato is an ex-convent, whose beginnings date to the 1200s.  Today, the owners seem to be decorating decidedly less ‘convent’ than ‘Dolce & Gabbana atelier’ —as our EC reviewer, Annie Shapero, said of her last visit.

Rooms are fit for kings, queens, and anyone with a taste for antiques. Most rooms have oriental rugs, lavish furnishings, and beautifully carved windows. When you’ve tired of the indoor ambiance, step outside where the hipster nightlife surrounding Guerrato will keep you satiated.

Read the complete review or see all budget hotel picks in Venice.

Popularity: 12% [?]

It’s a gorgeous, gorgeous day and everyone seems to be skipping town for a long weekend. We’re still here, but we’re psyched. Here are five things that are making us really happy:

Eurovision!

1) Alex, of Spendthrift Shoestring, has moved to London for the summer. But no sooner had he arrived in town before he jetted off to Belgrade to cover Eurovision 2008 for the New York Post! Check out his posts — and follow this poppy, patriotic, irresistable contest.

Budget Travel

2) Budget Travel magazine just turned 10 years old and the website this week announced a new “myBudgetTravel” community for its users. We’re there. You can upload photos, make friends, comment on pieces, and most importantly, share tips for traveling on a budget. Congratulations, BT!

Open Skies to Paris 

3) The Washington Post’s Travel Log directs our attention to British Airway’s new airline called “Open Skies,” which takes flight June 19th with one route connecting JFK and Paris CDG. The sleek new airline is the first to take advantage of the “Open Skies” agreement and it plans to add more European destinations from New York. Best of all, their 757’s will have only 82 seats, instead of the typical 170 seats! The economy section, for example, has only 30 leather seats “for a personal experience.” We’re ready to get personal.

Random cheapo travel tips 

4) We’re loving Hilary’s “random travel tips” today on “Less than a Shoestring.” She covers emptying the Blockbuster card from your wallet before take off, filling up your water bottle in European bank lobbies, going online in universities for free, and redeeming your “Sanifair” toilet ticket along the German autobahn for a discount at the lunch counter. Bravo!

Michelangelo’s fireworks 

5) Who knew that Michelangelo designed a fireworks display in Rome? Author Angela Knickerson, who wrote for us yesterday about free Michelangelo sights in Rome, reminds us that the city will be recreating a fireworks display originally designed by Michelangelo for Pope Julius II. Angela is awarding a free copy of her book, A Journey Through Michelangelo’s Rome, to the best photograph posted to her site of the display. Get snapping, Cheapos!

And finally, we’d be remiss if we didn’t celebrate…

Staples

6) For months now, our poor Brother MFC-6800 multi-purpose fax/copier/printer has been getting streaky on us, producing increasingly illegible documents with vertical white stripes bleached down through their centers. Despite pleas from the office to junk the device, we have instead waited silently for some miracle to heal our printer of its sick ways. This morning, at Staples, we chanced upon an amazing product, never before known to us, called “Laser Printer Cleaning Sheets.” You feed these sheets, moist and stinky, through your printer like normal sheets of paper, and they clean the device and trap the soot. After several passes through the MFC-6800, we’re happy to report that our documents are now printing streak-free.

And that about wraps it up.

Happy Friday, Cheapos. If you’re in the US, have a great Memorial Day weekend. We’ll see you on Tuesday!

Popularity: 10% [?]

During his time in Rome, Michelangelo charged the ancient city with works of incredible beauty. His sculptures, frescoes, and architecture still inspire a city-wide love affair.

And, his priceless work is on view at no cost to modern admirers. Angela K. Nickerson, author of A Journey into Michelangelo’s Rome, takes us on a very cheapo-friendly tour of Michelangelo’s Rome.

The Sistine Chapel: (Viale del Vaticano, at the Vatican Museums)

The Sistine Chapel, the ceiling of which is known as Michelangelo’s lifetime achievement, is free and open to the public on the last Sunday of each month. As Goethe once wrote, “Until you have seen the Sistine Chapel, you have no adequate conception of what man is capable of accomplishing.”

St. Peter’s Basilica: (Vatican City)

Michelangelo’s Rome ‘Pieta’, the piece that cemented the 24-year-old’s reputation as a gifted sculptor, occupies a chapel just inside the church’s entrance. Soaring over the central altar, Michelangelo’s dome marks his last great work. Late in Michelangelo’s life, he was charged with reorganizing the architectural design of St. Peter’s. For a small fee (€7; €4 if you just take the stairs), take an elevator to the roof and enjoy a spectacular view of the city. From the roof, take the 300-some steps up the dome and bask in a vision of Rome that Michelangelo himself did not live to see.

Basilica Di San Pietro in Vincoli: (Piazza di San Pietro in Vincoli 4a, Vatican City)

Just up the hill from the Colosseum sits a small, non-descript church called San Pietro in Vincoli. Inside is one of Michelangelo’s most controversial works, a sculpture that depicts Moses with full beard and horns. The statue, and two others (Leah and Rachel) are part of Pope Julius II’s tomb, a project that took Michelangelo 40 years to finish.

Farnese Palace: (250 Via Giulia)

Via Giulia is a renowned street in Rome, and here sits Michelangelo’s Farnese Palace (now the French Embassy), was never bulldozed despite Pope Julius II’s best efforts. Stop here for an afternoon cup of coffee or glass of vino. The piazza and fountains in front are some of the best, and most inspired, in all of Rome.

Santa Maria sopra Minerva: (around the corner from the Pantheon )

Santa Maria sopra Minerva hosts Michelangelo’s statue of a ‘Risen Christ’. Beloved and highly acclaimed in his day, Michelangelo’s depiction of Jesus—as regal, muscular and triumphant—is often overlooked.

Piazza del Campidoglio: (on Capitoline Hill)

When Rome granted Michelangelo citizenship in 1537, the ceremony was held in the mud at the top of the Capitoline Hill. A year later, Pope Paul III asked Michelangelo to redesign the hilltop. Michelangelo transformed its summit into a lovely piazza and redesigned the buildings there as well.

Basilica dei Santi Apostoli: (at Piazza dei Santissimi Apostoli)

When the elderly artist died, at 89-years of age, his funeral was held at Santi Apostoli church and was attended by the entire city including the pope himself. Then, under cover of night, his body was whisked away in a wagon of straw, to be buried in his beloved Florence. However, a plaque was erected at the church in his memory. (Cheapo tip: Knock at the monastery next door and ask about Michelangelo. The plaque with a portrait of the artist is in the monastery’s courtyard.)

About the author: Angela K. Nickerson, author of “A Journey into Michelangelo’s Rome“ (Roaring Forties Press, 2008), married a Roman and fell in love with a country. She now leads small groups of travelers on trips to Italy, but her wanderlust is relentless. Living by the motto, “Just go,” Angela jumps on a plane wherever and whenever possible.

Popularity: 12% [?]

We use our iPod like it’s going out of style. And, that doesn’t stop once we get to Europe. In fact, before we head off, we load it up with free podcasts depending on what city we’re visiting. We’ve saved many a euro by taking our own free tours, headphones in.

Here are five picks for free Paris podcasts:

For art buffs:

We love Rick Steve’s audio walking tour of the Musée d’Orsay. You can download it for free via iTunes. Or, visit his site for more info on how to download his podcasts. Rick also has a free tour of the Louvre if you’re so inclined.

For history fanatics:

We like Zevisit’s guides to historical landmarks and monuments in European cities. You can download them via iTunes, or visit their site for more information. The Paris audio guide boasts tales of an elephant on the Eiffel Tower, mysteries of the Louvre, and includes a tour of Notre Dame.

For bookish types:

Ok, so there have been a lot of “Code”-inspired tours since Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code debuted in 2003. Heck, we even saw a Louvre exhibit based on the bestseller. We wouldn’t normally recommend these audio tours as they can get pricey and touristy. However, if you’re a fan of the book (and yes, we read it too!), we suggest “Walking the Da Vinci Code” by Peter Caine, a free podcast available on iTunes or via the author’s web site. Plug in and get your Priory of Scion on!

For one-stop shoppers:

Cityzeum covers a lot of subjects on their podcasts, available through iTunes. Download their audio guides for free via iTunes or download the Paris tour, in French only, on their site. The tour touches on all the main neighborhoods (the Marais, Latin Quarter, Montmartre and others) as well as provides introductions to monuments, famous squares, churches, gardens, and more.

For the indecisives:

There are so many podcasts to choose from! One audio tour may lead to a fancy bar in the Marais while another might mean bumping into a rush of American tourists wearing fanny packs (we’ll let you figure out which podcast this applies to). So, when we’re feeling conflicted, we head over to Tourcaster, or visit their page on iTunes. Here, you can choose from a range of walking tours. For example, there are guides to religion in Paris, government, or key French phrase tutorials to help you learn your qui from your quoi. Tourcaster typically charges for guides on their web site, but if you subscribe to their weekly podcast feed (again, via iTunes), you should have no trouble hitting the city of lights in stride.

Other Paris podcasts?

Do you know of another quality Paris podcast? Please let us know, by posting below!

Popularity: 11% [?]

You came, you saw, you captioned, dear Cheapos. But, alas, there can only be one winner.

First, the office favorites deserve a call-out here.

From happybrowngirl: “Jesus, take the wheel!” - We admit, we’re not sure we grasp the context implied here, but we like the concept. Something about a dog so desperate and at wit’s end that he cries this out hits our funny bone where it counts.

Momo sent us, “I coulda been a star!”, a quote that made one office Cheapo nearly snort his lunchtime soup.

A couple of others that we enjoyed: “My owner wanted a cat.” (sent by Elizadoodle), “I would do anything for a Rick Steves DVD. Anything.” (from Tanya2), and “Does this outfit make me look fat?”, (by Mama Llama).

The winner—doggy drum roll please—is: “I can’t believe she wore stripes when I specifically told her I was wearing stripes! (sigh) People will do anything for attention.” This terrific take was sent in by withawe, who will be receiving the Rick Steve’s DVD, Italy’s Countryside (2000-2007 edition). Congrats!

A big runner-up award goes to Emily who posted, “Horizontal stripes + too many chalupas = Chubhuahua”. Don’t worry, Emily, you get a prize too. How does a Milan or Croatia tote bag sound?

For more funny chihuahua photos, check this gem out.

***And, be sure to tune in today at 20:00 BST (that’s 3 pm EST) when Tom blogs live at Europe a la Carte!

Popularity: 11% [?]

On the heels of Tom’s last live blog appearance, he’ll be joining our friends over at Europe a la Carte this Tuesday, May 20th at 20:00 BST, to discuss, “How to get more from your Euro“.

Fellow participants are: Christopher Cook of www.noambit.com, Lisa Marie Mercer of flyaway-weblog.com, Hilary of Less Than a Shoestring, and Sean O’Neill of This Just In.

We’re really excited that Tom will be joining such an esteemed panel as he talks shop about budget travel and answers your questions.

Please stop by the event and ask a question.

Popularity: 8% [?]

By now you know, dear Cheapos, a “Friday flip-through” wouldn’t be the same without a reference to an animal. Last week we reminded you about the frog festival in Louisiana, today we celebrate cats (no, not the musical).

Feline friend- 

Our friends over at Trippist, when not telling stories about Amsterdam’s public transportation or spending the summer in Rotterdam, are practicing their best Dr. Dolittle. Apparently, there’s a neighborhood cat one Trippist writer sees often. A photo on their site today, titled “furry friend”, made us smile. We have our own office cat (Oliver aka Prince Olaf: Scroll down to the bottom of ‘about us’), so we’re big feline fans.

Celtic care- 

The May 2008 issue of “International Travel News” (ITN) is chock full of some juicy travel tips. Among them, one writer’s take on how renting an apartment in Paris can save you lots of euros—and a fabulous list of interesting accommodations worldwide. In London, The Celtic Hotel is the latest property from the family that brought us the St. Margaret’s. One of ITN’s correspondents stayed there for a week last December and loved the location (in Russell Square), the great rates (£40 for a single), and the friendly service. 

City-score! 

This week was a slow week for snail mail in the EuroCheapo headquarters (ValPak anyone?), but then our copy of “CityScoops” arrived. We’ve never been able to figure out how often the little magazine, with interesting takes on New York City living, is published. We just know we’re fans.

This month’s issue includes a story on doggy dating (there we go again with the animal references!) in NYC, all the subway stations where you can see pop art murals and fine art paintings. And, finally, two personal favorites—a how-to guide for doing Broadway on a budget followed by a story on snagging cheapo spa treatments. The best part? A quick web search for “CityScoops” put us on their homepage, where we learned you can download the entire May ‘08 issue. City-score encore!

One last (dog-related) thing-

Finally, and we promise this will be our last reference to pets, there’s still time to enter our photo caption contest. We’ll announce the winner on Monday. 

Have a fabulous weekend, Cheapos!

Popularity: 11% [?]