Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

'Real Housewives' Star Packs Entire Suitcase Of Diet Coke For Europe Trip

'Real Housewives' Jill Zarin describing her love for America's version of Diet Coke
@allyshaps/TikTok

'The Real Housewives of New York' star Jill Zarin was so convinced that Diet Coke is unavailable in Europe that she ended up bringing along an entire suitcase full of the beverage—but things didn't go quite as planned.

Imagine being so addicted to your beverage of choice that you couldn't go two weeks without it.

Jill Zarin, also known as one of the Real Housewives of New York, went on a European cruise and tour with her family, but not before packing enough of her favorite beverage to get her through the two-week trip.


The Real Housewife's travel excursions were recorded by her daughter, Ally Shapiro, who has a popular TikTok of travel stories, "get ready with me" videos, and "outfit of the day" videos.

Upon landing, Zarin spoke to the @allyshaps TikTok channel like a classic influencer, describing how she packed for the trip:

"So, I've smuggled in the Diet Coke from the United States, because they don't sell it in Europe."
"They only have Coke Lite and Coke Zero, and it sucks."

Zarin then bit her lip and confessed:

"But I think one of them exploded."

Filming the video, Shapiro said in a voiceover, totally taken by surprise:

"She literally packed a suitcase of Diet Coke."

There turned out to be two cans of Diet Coke that had broken during the trip and leaked all over inside the suitcase, but all of the bottles were intact.

Given the fact that Zarin had filled an entire double-sided suitcase with Diet Coke, "enough for two weeks," losing just two cans was impressive.

You can watch the video, here:

@allyshaps

Any other diet coke girlies travel with an entire suitcase of diet coke? Luckily it made it safely! #dietcoke #flying #airport

As oddly impressive as that was, TikTok could not get over Zarin's idea that Diet Coke was not available in Europe.

Though Coke Lite and Coke Zero are more common than Diet Coke, Diet Coke is still available, especially in inland locations of Europe and all across the United Kingdom.

The difference is that many of the sweeteners and additives that are used in American-produced soda are banned from use in the European Union, so sodas are often not as sweet-tasting as their American counterparts.

Because of the number of people who came forward to say that Diet Coke was available, the comments were turned off in the first video.

In a second video, however, Zarin argued that Coke Lite was "supposed to be" Diet Coke but did not taste the same.

The Real Housewife explained that she called the cruise line ahead of time to see what they would be offering on the ship, and they said they would have Coke Lite, Coke Zero, and regular Coke available for passengers, but not Diet Coke.

Zarin reiterated:

"It may look like Diet Coke, but it says Coke Lite, and it doesn't taste like Diet Coke. It just doesn't."

You can watch the video, here:

@allyshaps

Replying to @alefrox coke light is not the same as diet coke!

In another video, Zarin continued to dig in her heels while at a cruise stop in Florence, Italy.

"[While on the stop], I'm desperate, so I bought a Coke Zero, which is the closest to the Diet Coke flavor in this country (Italy)."
"Coke Lite doesn't taste like Diet Coke, and I keep saying, they use different sugar here, they have different bottling plants, and it's not a bad thing, it just isn't..."
"I'm used to Diet Coke. That's what I like. That's what I want."
"I am not a fan of this (the can of Coke Zero), but I'm desperate, so I'm going to have to, you know (drink it)."

Shapiro then added in the background:

"So, real Diet Coke addicts know. If you know, you know."

Zarin agreed:

"If you know, you know."

You can watch the video, here:

@allyshaps

Replying to @Abigail only real diet coke lovers know the difference! Yes some places have diet coke but it is very hard to find, and regardless its still not the same taste as the US! #dietcoke

Some fellow TikTokers agreed with what Zarin was talking about.

@allyshaps/TikTok

@allyshaps/TikTok

@allyshaps/TikTok

@allyshaps/TikTok

@allyshaps/TikTok

@allyshaps/TikTok

@allyshaps/TikTok

@allyshaps/TikTok

@allyshaps/TikTok

But others cautioned the Real Housewife, pointing out why her drink tasted so different.

@allyshaps/TikTok

@allyshaps/TikTok

@allyshaps/TikTok

@allyshaps/TikTok

@allyshaps/TikTok

@allyshaps/TikTok

@allyshaps/TikTok

@allyshaps/TikTok

Some also questioned Zarin's "addiction" to Diet Coke.

@allyshaps/TikTok

@allyshaps/TikTok

@allyshaps/TikTok

@allyshaps/TikTok

@allyshaps/TikTok

@allyshaps/TikTok

Everyone has a favorite beverage, but some are more adamant about their preferences! Packing an entire suitcase of Diet Coke, and posting multiple videos about it, makes us suspect Jill Zarin is preparing for a future Tedx Talk...

More from Trending

Miriam Margolyes
David Levenson/Getty Images

'Harry Potter' Star Miriam Margolyes Offers Mic Drop Explanation For Why Respecting Pronouns Matters

Sometimes it is just that easy to make people happy. This is a lesson learned over and over in our lives, but that's because it's an important one.

Actor Miriam Margolyes shared how she learned to change her behavior to make others happier. Margolyes appeared on The Graham Norton Show recently and brought up a fairly polarizing subject in the United Kingdom: trans people.

Keep ReadingShow less
Elon Musk looks on during a public appearance, as the billionaire once again turns a newsroom style decision into a culture-war grievance broadcast to millions on X.
BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images

Elon Musk Cries Racism After Associated Press Explains Why They Capitalize 'Black' But Not 'White'

Elon Musk has spent the year picking fights, from health research funding to imagined productivity crises among federal workers and whether DOGE accomplished anything at all besides leaving chaos in its wake.

His latest grievance, however, is thinly disguised as grammatical. Specifically, he is once again furious that the Associated Press (AP) capitalizes “Black” while keeping “white” lowercase.

Keep ReadingShow less
Elon Musk; Yale University School of Engineering and Applied Science
Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images; Plexi Images/GHI/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Elon Musk Gets Brutal Wakeup Call After Claiming That Yale's Lack Of Republican Faculty Is 'Outrageous Bigotry'

Elon Musk—who has repeatedly whined about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)—took to his social media platform to whine about a lack of conservative faculty at Yale University.

Musk shared data compiled by The Buckley Institute (TBI), a conservative-leaning organization founded at Yale in 2010. TBI found 82.3% of faculty self-identified as Democrats or primarily supporting Democratic candidates, 15% identified as independents, while only 2.3% identified as Republicans.

Keep ReadingShow less
Barry Manilow
Mat Hayward/Getty Images

Barry Manilow Speaks Out After Postponing Farewell Tour Dates Due To Lung Cancer Scare

"Looks Like We Made It" singer Barry Manilow is in the process of saying goodbye to the stage and meeting his fans in-person, but he has to press pause for a few months after receiving a jarring diagnosis.

On December 22, 2025, the "Mandy" singer posted on Facebook, explaining that a "cancerous spot" had been discovered on his left lung.

Keep ReadingShow less
Chris Evans as Steve Rogers in Avengers: Endgame, the last time audiences saw Captain America before his unexpected return was teased for Avengers: Doomsday.
Disney/Marvel Studios

Marvel Just Confirmed That Chris Evans Is Returning For 'Avengers: Doomsday'—And Fans Have Mixed Feelings

Folks, once again, continuity is more of a suggestion than a rule in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Marvel has officially confirmed that Chris Evans is returning as Steve Rogers in Avengers: Doomsday, and the internet has responded exactly how you’d expect: screaming, celebrating, arguing, and a very justified side-eye toward how Sam Wilson keeps getting treated.

The confirmation comes via a teaser now playing exclusively in theaters ahead of Avatar: Fire and Ash. There is no official online release, despite leaks circulating. If you didn’t catch it on the big screen, Marvel’s response is essentially: sorry, guess you had to be there.

Keep ReadingShow less