Monthly Musings: Winter Travel Edition

 Hey friends! I know I totally missed the boat (ha) on this linkup, but I still wanted to participate, so I answered anyway! Also, it's always fun (to me) to think about vacations!! So here are my answers to last month's questions...

1. Favorite Warm Weather Destinations?
Well it used to be Puerto Rico because my grandpa lived there, but since he's passed I'd say definitely Key West, Maui, and Jamaica. 

2. Packing Cubes: Yes or no?
No, thank you. I get why families may swear by them, but I'm good. 

3. Favorite Carry On?
Ummm... I like bags with a zip closure so I don't lose anything/nothing falls out, and no one can put their grubby little hand in and steal my shit? Probably my LL Bean bag with my name on it (though it's a bit small). You can kinda see it here...

4. Essential Items in you Suitcase?

The regular essentials? Toothbrush, undies, extra contacts and contact solution...?

But for anywhere where snorkeling is an option, I always bring my own mask! 

5. Excursions? Yes or no? Share your favorites.

YES! So, fun fact: I'm always the planner when it comes to vacations; finding the cheapest flight/hotel, but also finding the best excursions, the "must-see" things there, and "must-eat-at" restaurants. The only thing I truly suck at is finding out how to get from point A to point B- I leave that to someone (really anyone) else! Some favorites... kayaking through mangroves and swimming in a bioluminescent bay and snorkeling with turtles in Puerto Rico, seeing the Taj Mahal in India (I didn't plan this one, but was so excited!), day trip to see Bob Marley's village and house and Dunn's River Falls in Jamaica, the Road to Hana in Maui, and the full day trip in Aruba which included seeing caves, off-roading in ATVs, and getting my feet nibbled on by fish (right before getting my second bee-sting ever- ouch!)!

6. Most Random Item You Always Pack?
MOPEY BATMAN! Oh, and toilet paper. (You would understand if you've ever been caught somewhere and there was no tp!) But yeah, Mopey Batman comes on every vacation! I don't remember exactly how or when I acquired him but ever since I did, he comes on every vacation with me. He even has his own Instagram account to share *his* adventures! (He's kinda snarky though, so beware if you stumble upon his page!)

7. Do You Use a Travel Agent?
A what?! Does this job even still exist?! If so, I may be in the wrong profession! My only travel agent is myself, TripAdvisor, and Expedia!

8. Favorite Sunscreen?

I'm actually really bad about wearing sunscreen, and (like lotion) I hate how sticky they can feel. So I suppose Neutrogena Ultra-Sheer Dry Touch in 15 - 30 SPF (depending on location).

9. Favorite Flips-flops or Sandals?

Flip-flops, I guess Old Navy because they're cheap and I don't mind throwing them out if they get dirty! Sandals- my Sam Edelman tan ones because they match with everything and are sooo comfortable! 

10. Favorite Swimsuit?

So all of my favorite swimsuits have come from Victoria's Secret, but they don't make them anymore **SUPER SAD FACE** Unfortunately I haven't found a decent replacement yet. 

Monthly Musings: Vacation and Trip Planning

 It has been quite a while since I've joined Patty and Holly for Monthly Musings. But I've been missing "real" vacations and trips, so what better way to cure that then to plan a few, share, and reminisce about past ones?! 

1. What trips/vacations do you have planned for the rest of the year? We have a few long weekends away planned - one to the beach later next month for my niece's birthday, the return of our annual "glamping" trip in July, and another long weekend away (probably to a casino) in July for Blue's birthday. 

2. Best packing tips? ROLL YOUR CLOTHES! You save soo much space this way! I also personally like to plan out a few outfits in advance, and usually things I can mix and match if I'm not feeling that "exact" outfit on any given day. 

3. Packing cubes- yes or no? No thank you!

4. Favorite travel outfit? Jeans or yoga pants and a hoodie- just like my normal favorite outfit! I just like to be comfy. 

5. Favorite vacation destination and why? Ohh, this is a hard one. More recently I really enjoyed Key West, FL. I've been there a few times in the last couple of years because it's a quick and relatively inexpensive trip. But my absolute favorite was Maui, Hawaii over 10 years ago. I'd love to go back there! I think I was there for a full 7 days, and I got an opportunity to do lots of exploring in bamboo forests and waterfalls, experienced an authentic luau (and delicious meal!), and even went to the top of a volcano for a sunrise that didn't quite make it out of the clouds, and bike down the side of that volcano!

6. Have you flown since March 2020? Nope. 

7. Beach or mountains for vacation? BEACH! 

8. Do you prefer to sightsee or relax on vacation? Depends on where we are going (and if I've been there before), but usually I like to do a bit of both. 

9. Hotel, camping or Airbnb? Hotel. The last few Airbnb experiences weren't up to expectations, unfortunately. 

10. Overpacker or underpacker? Definitely overpacker, but I've gotten much better when I started planning outfits! I just hate to not have what I want/need when away. 

Have you done any air travel since 2020?

What's your favorite destination?

What's New With Me: New Orleans 2019

Usually I take this opportunity to share everything I've been up to the past month, but there wasn't much other than my trip with Blue to visit her niece in New Orleans, so this my vacation recap!

This was actually our second trip to New Orleans so besides the food, we were more interested in relaxing than anything else. Lucky for us, K (Blue's niece) has been working her little tuchus off so she hasn't gotten a chance to really experience the town. We were more than happy to introduce her to some of our past faves and just hang out with her!

Our first stop was The Gumbo Shop. This was a favorite of ours last time, and the second time around was just as good as I remember! We all had the 4 course combo special with all the specialties- gumbo, red beans and rice, jambalaya, shrimp creole, and (of course) bread pudding. The pictures above don't do it justice! 

Saturday was our main "chill day." Blue wanted just one day to lay out by the pool. After a few hours swimming (them) and reading (me), we cleaned up and headed out to Erin Rose. This tiny dive bar is famous for their 'killer poboys" and frozen Irish coffee, and both were absolutely amazing! 

We still had time to kill before our Ghost and Vampire Tour, so we stopped into another bar on the way to our meeting spot for the tour. And then we had B1G1 hurricane special at the Voodoo Lounge, to bring with us on the tour. And then... well, things get a little foggy because I had a bit too much to drink and not nearly enough food. We ended the night eating fried chicken in bed though, which really ain't so terrible if you ask me! 

Sunday kicked off with a jazzy brunch buffet at the Court of Two Sisters. Surprisingly I didn't take any pics of the food there (mostly because I was shoving it in my pie-hole too fast). They had everything you can imagine, and then some. The omelet bar and carving station were impressive, and I heard the sweet potatoes tasted like "warm pecan pie," but I didn't get a chance to try them. The two new things I tried were the shrimp étouffée and turtle soup. (I liked the shrimp better.) The only thing I would've changed was sitting outdoors. The courtyard was beautiful, mostly covered by trees and fans throughout, but it was a bit too warm out. Or maybe it was the soup? Anyway, they offer the brunch daily so I would definitely recommend adding it to your list if you have the opportunity! 

We decided to walk off our meal meandering around Jackson Square, listening to live music, watching the side street acts, and checking out the French Market (but mostly just trying to find places with strong AC, tbh) before heading back to the hotel where we were getting picked up for our swamp tour! 

Don't know what an airboat is? Yeah, we didn't either. Basically it's a boat with little to no cover on top and lots of picnic-style rows of seats with a giant fan propeller in the back that makes so much noise when at "full throttle" that patrons are strongly suggested to wear these very attractive ear protectors. Can you tell that we were a bit nervous/uncomfortable?!

If you couldn't tell by the amount of pictures of this compared to anything else, this was my favorite part of our trip. And I think a big part of it is directly attributed to our tour guide, Earl. (Yes, that's his real name. Can't make this shit up.) Earl was AWESOME. He was very charismatic and funny, but not in the cheesy "I'm-a-tour-guide-so-I-have-to-be" way. He told us about an earlier tour where the people totally sucked and were scarily silent the whole time. He told us that he was taking us through a swamp path that he wasn't approved to go through with the size of our airboat because another guide dared him to, but "No worries, if we really don't fit, I'll get us out!"

And best of all? He kept us behind all the other airboats that left at the same time, which kinda freaked me out at first. But when we were out of view, he explained that he purposely held us back because the day before he found a mother gator guarding her nest that no one else had seen! He guided us up to her, and got so close that she started toward our boat and started hissing at us! By that time I was well on the other side of the boat, slightly freaking out (can they jump? She looked ready to jump us!). This pic is of her when we first saw her (before she started approaching, and ya know, hissing at us). She is about 8 1/2 ft long, and that pile of straw on the left is her nest. Also, I kind of thought a gator hiss would be very guttural, like a roar, but it's much more like a very pissed-off cat. Just an interesting tidbit. 

Near the end of the tour Earl reached into the ice chest in front of him and pulls out his little buddy, Fluffy. (Again, can't make this shit up!) Apparently he helps salvage gator eggs, and then raises them when they hatch so they have a better chance of survival. Fluffy is one that hatched in his care, and is about 3 1/2 years old. He didn't even have to trap his mouth shut- he was so docile the whole time! He was feeding various other gators in the swamp (all of which he had names for) marshmallows, because apparently they like those? And telling us about some of his "souvenirs" or scars from when he wasn't so smart about gators. He was just the best, so if you can do this tour, I'd definitely request him! He's the real deal! 

After the swamp tour, Blue and I grabbed some (very average imho, though it was recommended by several locals) hot dogs at Dat Dog before checking out the live bands at various bars on Frenchman St., something we missed out on our last trip! The last morning, we caught a late breakfast at a ridiculously good and underrated restaurant across the street from our hotel called Cafe Fleur De Lis. Of course I had to get the Seriously Southern Special, but definitely could not handle that giant  1/3" slab of bacon that came with it! Everything else was fabulous though! 

TL;DR

To Stay: The W Downtown New Orleans

To Eat: The Gumbo Shop, The Court of Two Sisters, Erin Rose, Cafe Fleur De Lis

To Do: French Quarter Phantom Tour, Airboat Adventures (ask for Earl!)

Let's Look At... Inside My Suitcase

Good morning and Happy Thursday friends! By this time tomorrow I will be in sunny, hot New Orleans, so I thought this would be the perfect time to share what's in my suitcase with Shay! 

I received my suitcase as a birthday present before a trip a few years ago. I love it because it's "official" carry-on size, it's hardshell (so no bulging sides!), and it's an upright spinner. I thought people with upright luggage were kind of bougie - like, who can't you just drag it behind you like everyone else?- until I had one. They are so much easier to roll around! Also pictured is Mopey Batman. He comes with us on all of our trips and partakes in our adventures with us. And my Starbucks, because the only time I buy Starbucks is when traveling- it's like an extra treat! 

So what's inside? The mesh side is the "top," where I keep my toiletries, jewelry, make-up, undergarments, and any other accessories, like belts or a small purse. The "bottom" has all of my regular clothes. I use the roll method of packing since I find it takes up so much less space. 

I pack by outfit and event. This trip will be 4 days, including travel time. Not pictured is what I'll be wearing on the flight, which include sneakers, jeans, a long sleeve tee and a hoodie. I wear my heaviest/bulkiest clothes on the plane since I'm always cold. 

The first outfit is simple jeans, tank and a cardigan (because as mentioned, I'm always cold). I'll probably wear this for our jazzy brunch and day of sightseeing/exploring. The one next to it is more of a casual evening outfit, for our evening ghost tour followed by some bar hopping. You can't tell form the picture, but those are capris. I'll probably be carrying either my hoodie or cardigan!

I'm not a big fan of shorts, but I love these bright floral ones from J Crew. They're elastic waist and SO comfy. We have one day that we're staying by the pool so these will be worn when we finally have to leave in search of food and wandering around. 

The last outfit is a 3/4 sleeve button down and khaki capris. I thought this would be perfect for the airboat swamp tour we're going on. 

Smaller things like chargers, gum, a few "in an emergency" type items like extra contacts and glasses are kept in my purse, along with my headphones and iPod (yes, I still love my iPod mini!). I'll probably bring a smaller paperback with me in there as well, but I have a lot of e-books on my phone too. And that's it! 

What are some of your travel necessities? 

Linking up with Shay!

TBB Asks: Vacation Edition

1. Will you go on vacation this year?

Yes! On it now in Key West, Florida!

2. Do nothing but relax or pack it all in?

Usually we go on 2 vacations a year, one for relaxation and one where I try to do and see allthethings!

3. What month do you like to go on vacation?

March (to warm up after winter) and December for my birthday. 

4. Cruise yes or no?

YES but I haven’t been on one in a few years.

5. Favorite vacation tradition?

I always take a vacation for my birthday. I pick the place and itinerary and it’s the best!

6. Most memorable vacation?

Probably India as it was for a wedding and we had a MAJOR snafu getting to/from the Tah Mahal. But my first trip with Blue to Puerto Rico was memorable as I got to introduce her to family and new experiences like swimming with sea turtles and exploring a bioluminescent bay.

7. Pack light or pack it all?

I used to pack it all but now I pack specific outfits with one extra “just in case.”

8. Hotel, condo, or house?

Hotel or Air bnb for short trips.

9. Favorite things to eat on vacation?

Whatever the local fare is. For example, I’ve been eating mostly fish/seafood in Key West, beignets and gumbo in New Orleans, saag paneer in India... you get the idea.

10. Warm or cold destination?

Preferably warm, though that’s not always the case in December, and my next international vacation will be Iceland which will definitely not be warm no matter what time of year we go!

What was your favorite vacation?

Linking up with The Blended Blog!

California Dreamin' Part 2

Today I’m continuing to recap my whirlwind trip to LA/San Diego. For part one, click here!

On day two, we woke up early and took an Amtrak to San Diego so we could see the scenery off the Pacific Coast Highway without the hassle of renting a car and driving. Upon arrival in Old Town, we left our bags in the hotel and headed to the closest Mexican restaurant, Café Coyote. We only wanted a snack because we had dinner plans, but Blue’s steak quesadilla turned out to be the size of her head! Their salsa was just the right mix of flavor without the heat, and so fresh!

We meandered down the main drag for a bit before headed to Stone Brewing. The menu and the food were TERRIBLE. By far the worst meal I’ve had on vacation, perhaps ever. I got a pork belly adobo, which was basically pork belly on a steamed bun with greens, and I couldn’t even finish it. That’s the other thing- they didn’t have any “regular” food; it was all like duck tacos and quail knots. They didn’t even have a regular burger! One was plant-based and the other was a bean patty. No, thank you. At least the beer was good.

The next day we were up and out early for a day at the San Diego Zoo. I think we only made it through about half the park- it was HUGE! We headed back in the early afternoon and took a nap before heading out for the night.

This dinner was my choice and of course I chose Trailer Park After Dark, a retro dive bar in the Gaslamp District with retro trailers inside, chairs crafted from shopping carts, and a fake “lawn” with plastic chairs. It was kitchy as hell and I loved every minute of it. I had grilled cheese sticks with a shot of tomato soup, tall boy PBRs, and a jello shot. We continued on our night of debauchery to Tipsy Crow (great cocktails), Whiskey Girl (where I met 2 others from NJ, one who attended school where I work- small world!), and ended the night in San Diego’s smallest bar, Pop’s Liquor Cabinet- max capacity: 12. Also delicious cocktails, and luckily only about 3 other people were there.

Our last day was Cinco de Mayo. Old Town San Diego marks the site of the first Spanish settlement on the West Coast and features 12 acres of Mexican heritage and historical sites, and San Diego's Cinco de Mayo celebration is held in Old Town every year. So clearly, the whole area was closed down and jam packed. There was a huge street fair with vendors selling pretty much everything, and a wrestling ring where they had lucha libre matches. Luckily we only had to wait 45 minutes for lunch at Los Locos Bar and Grill, and it was well worth the wait. After shoving our way through the throngs of people at the street fair, we spent most of the afternoon checking out the "historic" Old Town area, which was all old time-y shops like the Blacksmith and Carriage House mixed in with some Mexican shops where I picked up some worry dolls for my friends. By dinnertime, the crowds had grown even more and we were OVER it. Every Mexican restaurant (which was just about every restaurant in the area) had 3-4 hour wait times. So for our last meal we each had a personal pizza at Bella Italian Bistro before heading back to the hotel. 

Have you ever been to Old Town San Diego? 

Wanderlust Wednesday: California Dreamin'

Back in early May, Blue and I took a whirlwind trip to Los Angeles and San Diego. I was originally registered for a conference there, but it got rescheduled to October, so we decided to make the most of the trip anyway!

Unfortunately Blue had to go ahead without me for one day because we were finishing up a big project at work. I’m sure she was grateful for a night of rest though, because once I got there it was all “go-go-go!”

We met at the hotel then went straight to Mama’s Shelter, a fun hippie-inspired rooftop lounge complete with oversized couches, giant pillows, tapestry dividers, and an enthusiastic Rasta-wannabe bartender. It was much colder than we anticipated, so we only stayed for a drink before heading over to Grand Central Market for some eats. I wanted to check out Sarita’s Pupuseria, serving up authentic Latin cuisine including “pupusa,” which is a traditional Salvadoran dish made of a thick corn tortilla stuffed with cheese, coleslaw and spices. (The shop was also in a tiny movie you may have heard of called “La La Land,” but I didn’t realize that until after we were seated at the countertop exactly where they were and saw signs posted up.) I tried the pupusa, and Blue had the skirt steak platter- both were absolutely delicious! 

After filling our bellies, we headed to The Grammy Museum. Honestly, I thought it would just be an easy way to kill some time before our scheduled time slot at The Happy Place, but it was so much fun! Not only did they have a lot of very famous outfits from people who graced the Grammy stage, but they also had interactive singing and productions booths, DJ mixers, and other instruments which were plugged into headsets so only you could hear the ruckus you were making. 

After that, we continued to make our way over to The Happy Place. I don't really know how to describe this "museum" so here's what they said about it: "[The Happy Place is a] massive pop-up experience is filled with larger than life size installations, multi-sensory immersive rooms, and dozens of moments curated to Capture Your Happy... Highlights include: dancing in the middle of world’s largest indoor Confetti Dome, jumping off of a larger than life double rainbow into a pot of happiness, and posing inside HAPPY PLACE's signature rubber ducky bathtub of fun! and let’s not forget 7-foot stilettos made of a million candies and 6-foot-tall X and O letters made out of thousands of tiny mirrors, surrounded by a wall of one thousand red lips!!!

HAPPY PLACE will be in Chicago from June 28 – August 6 before it hits the road again!"

Remember at the beginning of this post when I say I was all "go, go,  go?" Well, we weren't done yet! Since this was my only night in LA, we made one final stop at a "speakeasy" called "Good Times at Davey Wayne's." I put speakeasy in quotes because when I read about it online, it made it sound like it would be really hard to find and you had to walk through a refrigerator to get in, yadda yadda... meanwhile we show up and there's a huge bright blinking sign with an arrow pointing down. But it was super cool inside. There were multiple rooms, some open air, some night, lots of seating- couches and swinging chairs- the bartenders were all dressed up in suspenders and the drinks were strong. I wanted to take pics inside but it seemed more like a locals hangout and I didn't want to be that person. (Plus they didn't come out, they were all too dark.) 

And that concludes Day 1! I was going to put the whole trip in one post, but I think we've covered enough today, yah? Check back tomorrow for the rest of the trip! (I'll try to keep it condensed!) 

So I Went to San Diego...

(This post was originally written in November 2013... I'm trying to clear out drafts and I have no idea why this one was never posted but here we are. So Throwback Thursday?!)

And aside from the semi-boring work conference lecture part, it was awesome! This was also my first work conference and I was a little anxious going in, but it was actually fine and I learned some things and upped my skills a bit. 

Sunday: Arrive. Check In. Drinks!

view from the hotel

Monday: SAN DIEGO ZOO ERMMEGERD! Sorry for the pic overload, but I couldn't help myself- loved allllllll the animals! (Edit: Not posting "all" the pics, we know what lions and tigers and bears look like.)

Tuesday: Lectures. Then The Food and Wine Festival Taco and Beer Tasting! This was the first time I'd ever had a fish taco, and I ave no idea what took me so long- they're delicious! 

Wednesday: Lectures, followed by a group dinner in Old Town! I actually got to pick the restaurant. I asked my friend who had lived there for a bunch of years, and she recommended Old Town Mexican Cafe. Seriously the best meal and margaritas I had the entire time I was in San Diego! Also, the drunkest I have ever seen my coworkers... pretty hilarious! 

Thursday: End of conference woot woot! After the closing luncheon, a group of us went out to the island of Coronado. We went on the beach and I finally touched the Pacific Ocean! And then we had four too many drinks in the Hotel del Coronado. They actually had my absolute favorite drink ever, which was incredible since the first time I had it was in Puerto Rico 8 years ago, and I've spent the last 8 years looking for it! It was a Rose Martini. Yumm.mmm.mmmm.

Friday: All but one of my coworkers had left, so we shared a room (and saved some dollas), and spent the day exploring and shopping in Old Town since all the shops were closed when we went there with the group.

Saturday: At this point, we were tired, but we wanted to see the beaches. So we went on a Trolley hop on/hop off Beach Tour... except we got on the wrong trolley and wound up seeing the same stuff we had been seeing (Coronado, Old Town, Balboa Park, etc). So we asked if we could switch to the one we actually wanted once we got to Old Town, and they agreed. Two tours for the price of one what what! Half the day was over though, so we only got off at one beach- La Jolla (pronounced: La Hoya) aka the Jewel of San Diego. It was beautiful, and we even saw some seals!!

Sunday: Homeward bound. To 32 degree weather. WOMP.

Have you ever been to San Diego? What did I miss?

(Edit: I went back earlier this month- recap coming next week!)