Finally got the chance to go to Houston, TX with my husband; there was so much to see and such great food to try! Here are our Houston Highlights (and some are future highlights; as COVID interfered with us being able to check out all of them, sadly)…
1. Buffalo Soldiers Museum *The Buffalo Soldiers National Museum tells the story of the historic Buffalo Soldiers, and the history of African Americans in the US military.
2. Houston Center for Photography *The photographs are breathtaking; they also offer classes in addition to the exhibits.
4. The Waterwall Park *It’s a little piece of paradise in the bustling city; listening to the water rush while walking among the mighty oaks is super relaxing.
Just got back from a lovely trip to Sacramento; now we are gearing up to hit Houston, TX! So excited; it is my first time!
Although it’s not my first rodeo flying during a pandemic, it is still pretty overwhelming. The masking and sanitizing are just part of our everyday lives so I don’t bat an eye over it. But, the testing prior to departure/arrival and the anxious wait for results is the worst part. Don’t get me wrong, I understand the importance of testing!
I figured I’d share a few of my favourite travel items that make my journey better.
I am looking forward to checking out the great food at Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen and going to the Museum of Natural Science! Check back next month for my “Must See/Must Eat” feature!
Finally heading back to Sacramento, CA! There is a lot to see and do and great food too!
What to do/see… 1. Crocker Art Museum *It houses an incredible collection of Californian Art and is the OLDEST art museum west of the Mississippi.
2. Old Sacramento *Step back in time by touring this historic riverside area complete with cobblestone streets; it boasts a ton of attractions like the Schoolhouse Museum, the Automobile Museum; you can even take a tour underground and enjoy a carriage ride.
3. Sutter’s Fort State Historic Park *Built as a farming and trade colony by John Sutter in 1839; it draws visitors because of its connection to not only the founding of Sacramento but also the Donner Party and the California Gold Rush.
4. Leland Stanford Mansion State Historic Park *This beautiful home with its stunning grounds was finished in 1857 and was home to Stanford, the renowned railway founder and president who also went on to become the eighth governor of California.
Where to eat… 1. Bacon & Butter *Breakfast/Brunch Recommendation: Grilled Cheese Benedict & Prickly Pearmosa
Many people are receiving their two doses of the vaccine, case numbers dropping; we are opening up once again. There is also talk of the border opening, fingers crossed that happens soon. It’s officially summer vacation. I know I have talked a lot about travel; but I love it! I turned 35 this year and being able to go for a quick getaway with my best friend will be incredible!
We have a tried and test process we go through when planning a trip which includes…
Step 1: Determine our budgets Step 2: Coordinate schedules Step 3: Select the type of vacation we desire Step 4: Pick a location Step 5: Sourcing of accommodations, transportation, attractions and restaurants Step 6: To do lists (everything that we want to see and do at the chosen destination) Step 7: Packing (the essentials and employing our many tried and true packing hacks)
With the first three steps determined we began to compile a list of locations that fit with our vision of an “affordable, active sightseeing/culinary adventure for approximately 3.5-4 days”
Here are our locations so far…
-New Orleans, Louisiana -Charleston, North Carolina -Seattle, Washington -Glacier Park, Montana -Chicago, Illinois -Denver, Colorado -Palm Springs, California -Boston, Massachusetts -Salt Lake City, Utah -Portland, Oregon -Las Vegas, Nevada -Pawhuska, Oklahoma
Have suggestions for our future girl’s trip? Leave us a comment, we would love to hear from you!
I don’t know whether it was because I watched Leap Year (2010) on Netflix or because St. Patrick’s Day has come and gone but my travel bug still gnawing on me to FINALLY get around to planning my trip to Ireland; but whatever the case, I got my butt in gear.
I discovered a really great app, called Visit A City when my bestie and I plan our girls trips we use a fantastic app called, Visit A City. The app has a TON of great destinations and features pre-made itineraries, travel tips, detailed maps and lots of background information about your destination and all the tourist attractions including the prices of admissions for them. It also allows you to customize the itineraries and create your own. It really allows you to maximize your time at your destination. When we were in San Francisco it came in handy to be able to use the app offline and still access the plans we saved. I would highly recommend it to anyone planning a trip!
I wanted to jam pack as much as I could into the week I allotted for my trip however I wanted to actually ENJOY my time there… I didn’t want it to a be a blur or only spend short amounts of time at my bucket-list attractions or simply “drive by them.” I have been on holidays like that in my twenties and I always wished I had spent more time and I always felt super exhausted. But I thought the pace and timings offered on the itineraries on Visit A City met my needs. My itinerary will seem very nerdy to some…but I LOVE it!
Day 1 -Cliffs of Moher
Day 2 -Trinitiy College -Ha’Penny Bridge -Temple Bar -Dublin Castle -Chester Beatty Library -St. Patrick’s Cathedral -Marhss Library -Whitefriar Street Church
Day 3 -Kilmainham Gaol -Irish Museum of Modern Art -Guinness Storehouse -Museum of Decorative Arts & History -St. Michans Church -The Old Jameson Distillery
Day 4 -Wild Wicklow and Glendalough Tour
Day 5 -The Book of Kells & Old Library -Old Parliament House -Grafton Street -St. Teresa’s Church -Little Museum of Dublin -St. Stephen’s Green -Newman House
Day 6 -National Gallery of Ireland -National Houses of Parliament -National Library of Ireland -National Museum of Archaeology -National Museum of Natural History -Number 29 (Georgian House Museum) Day 7 -Cork and Blarney Castle Rail Trip
My best friend and I made a commitment during the pandemic to prioritize our time together. It can be very tough throughout the year to get together since we are two hours apart and we have opposite schedules. We wanted to get back into our routine of seeing each other every two months and to plan an all out getaway at least every other year. Iceland has always been on both our “Dream Trip Lists.” COVID-19 has created lots of complications surrounding travel; for instance some borders are closed, mandatory testing and isolation and moratoriums on unnecessary travel. Who knows when we will be able to take this trip, but it is still fun to dream!
For this trip we will need to rent a car to cover as much ground as possible. We also love jam packed high intensity itineraries!
Our tentative plans for our trip are…
Blue Lagoon -Premium experience complete with entrance to the Blue Lagoon, masks, drinks, robe & slippers and a reservation at the Lava Restaurant
Westman Island -Puffin & Volcanic Tour -Boat tour to see some of the smaller islands, beaches and cliffs
Explore the South Coast –Skógafoss Waterfall -Vík í Mýrdal -Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach -Sólheimajökull Glacier -Seljalandsfoss Waterfall
Golden Circle –Hveragerdi -Kerið Crater -Gullfoss Waterfall -Geysir -Thingvellir
Reykjavík –Hallgrímskirkja -The Sun Voyager -Reykjavík 871±2 -Reykjavík City Hall -National Gallery of Iceland -National Museum of Iceland -Whale Watching -Northern Lights
The ongoing pandemic has us all thinking about “WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO WHEN THINGS GO BACK TO NORMAL?” I think travel is high on the list of so many! Both my best friend and I love to travel, if that wasn’t evident already. We don’t often get the opportunity to travel together, but when we do, we do it up right! Most of our adventures have been in our own backyards; locally, since Alberta or British Columbia and Canada in general have so much to offer for the would-be tourist.
In recent years it has been harder for the two of us to escape for a getaway; whether it was because she was busy finishing her PhD or because once she finished I went back to school to get my Masters; or whether it was because she moved 2 hours away and I got married or because we both were house-poor; leaving little in the piggy bank to spend on a vacation.
Our schedules have become pretty much opposite; as a teacher I don’t have the flexibility to travel throughout the year and when I can it is usually at peak times and VERY expensive. And as an award winning event planner, summer is her crazy busy season.
A couple years ago we decided we were due for an epic adventure and figured I would share our planning process. We both are in our element when we plan.
Step 1: Budget Both of us can be very frugal in our everyday lives; however there are a few things where we are both willing to break the bank a little on; good food, hobbies and vacations. It is really important that you and your girlfriends agree on budget well in advance and keep in mind that vacations are notorious for added costs such as insurance, rentals, food, last minute excursions, souvenirs, etc.
Step 2: Coordinate Schedules This sometimes is the longest part of the whole process. For me, I am limited to long weekends, spring break and July and August. My husband works away a week at a time, so it is easier for me to go on trips with my bestie when he is home to look after our menagerie of animals; however that cuts down on our time together. Her schedule varies year to year. She is constantly busy meeting with clients, planning, sourcing decor from vendors, coordinating during the lead up to the weddings themselves. Then of course there is the actual wedding days! Now with the addition of her own puppy, she has to figure out puppy care as well. Sometimes it feels like the ideal time in our schedules comes up once in a Blue Moon; but perhaps I am being dramatic.
Step 3: Type of Vacation Do you want an all-inclusive experience? What kind of pace are you comfortable with? Are you seeking the adventure of a lifetime? Do you want to do a culinary tour? The possibilities are endless. We aren’t exactly fond of laying on the beach, don’t get us wrong it’s nice every once and a while but we want to get out and discover a new locale. We want to feel like we are getting the best bang for our buck; you can read ‘cheap’ into this if you wish.
Step 4: Pick a Location In the past we toyed with the idea of: Las Vegas, Seattle, Iceland or San Francisco. Mainly because they were relatively quick jaunts or airlines were actively advertising cost effective packages and all of these locations offer lots for us to do and see. We also try to pick places that neither of us have been to before, or places where neither of us has spent much time.
Step 5: Sourcing My bestie is definitely the best at sourcing out fantastic places to stay, restaurants to eat at and tracking down the best deals on flights; whether it’s meticulously comparing airfare from the carriers themselves or navigating through the many pages on Trivago, Booking.com, Expedia, etc. She will come up with the best deal for the best money. Travel agents are more expensive of course so doing this legwork yourself can save you quite a bit of money, meaning you can have more fun at your destination.
Step 6: To Do Lists Both of us will make lists of what we really have to see and experience at our chosen destination. I am sharing our plans for my all time favourite trip to San Francisco! Since she is not afraid of driving in foreign places; we have no qualms about renting a car and venturing a little further from our accommodations to tackle our lists. Quite often though, we pick the same attractions. Once our must see/experience wishes are taken care of and we’ve got time left, we’ll roll the dice and pick our next stop at random.
Bestie
Me
-Alcatraz -Golden Gate Bridge -Lombard Street -Painted Ladies -Sushi at Ju-Ni
-Fisherman’s Wharf -Aquarium of the Bay at Pier 39 -San Francisco Museum of Modern Art -Ride a Cable Car -San Francisco Botanic Gardens
Step 7: Packing This is another facet of the trip that includes LISTS! I confess I make a clothing schedule; so I don’t over pack and I’m not caught unprepared. The best travel trick I learned/stole from my bestie was to purchase compression bags; simply lay your clothes in, zip and roll; this saves so much space! She prefers to take a minimalist approach to her make-up; she packs enough to achieve a “five minute face” look. Packing less in terms of make-up means less time in security digging out liquids, gels and sprays. In addition, she prefers to wear her bulkiest outfits on the plane and “go carry-on” as much as possible to avoid long waits at the baggage carousel.
This time last year I was in Sacrament for four days with my husband at the International Sportsman Expo at Cal Expo. We were supposed to attend again this year, but COVID-19 had other plans.
This incredible facility features eight buildings, lagoon, an entry bridge and outdoor brick plaza with a total of 58,870 square feet of indoor space. Our booth was located in the hunting section of building A. I couldn’t get over how many booths there were and how many people attended (I am told around 33,000 over the four days); at some points during the day you couldn’t see across the bridge to other building because of the wall of people. You could hear the murmur of the crowd getting louder as they approached and came up the stairs! It was my first time attending and working a show like this. We met some awesome people and heard their incredible hunting and fishing stories and of course sold a few hunts. I am sharing with you some helpful tips I learned as a vendor.
1. Comfortable shoes… Over the four days I stood for 33 hours. I realized that this was not a time to wear anything but runners or the dress shoes I wear to work as a teacher. I did rent a chair to sit in but I must say… when you stand you look approachable and ready to interact… potential clients seemed to talk more to people at the booths who were standing rather than those who were sitting.
2. Purell… I lost track of how many hands I shook… they probably number in the hundreds. Last year my husband ended up with a nasty cold. I was sure to have a lots of hand sanitizer nearby.
3. Treat basket… People love their treats… we found Werther’s were “the best candy around.” There were lots of kids as there was also a youth fair going on too. When the kids would come over to grab a treat we were able to engage their folks in a discussion about hunting in Alberta. Plus, it is an inexpensive gesture for the crowds.
4. Food/Snacks… If you think you are getting away from your booth for any length of time to get lunch or dinner or a snack you are sorely mistaken! You may be able to if you have someone working with with but you just can’t afford to step away and miss a sale. We stocked up on chips, granola bars and water from Walgreens. We also saved a TON of money since we didn’t pay for expensive concession food.
5. Deals… In addition to treats, people love deals! They definitely go for packages where you give them their bottom line… no additional costs and you also tell them how much of a deal it actually is.
6. Contact… It never hurts to have a sheet on your table and get your potential client’s information. Following up with them can yield additional sales to those you make at the show. Plus, it gives people a chance to shop around, organize their hunting group, get organized, come up with more focussed questions and make final decisions without feeling pressured to close the deal the day of. Making anecdotal notes about prospective clients after meeting them provides a nice introduction or segue when you call or email them.
7. Dressing up your booth… Trade show facilities will have vendors that you can get a wide variety of items to outfit your booth with. However, they are ridiculously expensive! For example for a basic (uncomfortable) chair was $70, a TV can run you $500 and we are just talking RENTALS! Bring as much of your own stuff you can or source your own items from rental places yourself -you save on the mark up! A must have is a TV though; it really pulled people in to our booth!
8. Booth location… The money you save on rentals use to buy a premium spot. We were the first booth as people came in and they STOPPED! And they also had to pass by on their way out.
9. Have a map… With a large expo centre we got asked a lot about where things were located. It is always nice to be able to assist guests.
I have had the good fortune in my life to do a fair bit of traveling both domestically and internationally. Some highlights from my passport include England, Scotland, Wales, Mexico, California, Washington, Nevada, Dominican Republic, France and Italy. There are still many places left on my bucket list such as Germany, Hungary and Greece. I thought that I would share with you some of my favourite travel memories from France and Italy.
This trip was very different than any I had taken before because it was a school trip with my students in March/April 2015. It was an incredible experience to be able to share this experience with them; especially considering that for some it was either their first time on a plane or their first time travelling outside Canada.
As a Social Studies and Art teacher this was the ultimate chance to bring history to life. Being so young they were up for the fast paced adventure and were hungry to explore every inch of these countries. We spent three days in France and the balance of the trip in Italy. Going through the thousand photos I took; I reluctantly narrowed them down for this post. It would have been very easy to write about every second of the trip as it is still fresh in my mind, even though it was three years ago.
Louvre I definitely need to go back; it is said that The Louvre, “…is so big that it is humanly impossible to see all the museum has to offer in one visit. [However, if you ever have 100 days to spare, you could probably squeeze in every piece of art, but you could only spend 30 seconds on each piece,” (The List Love, May 12, 2015). Half an afternoon was NOT enough, however I tried to my best to see as much as I possibly could.
Eiffel Tower We walked everywhere on this trip; we excitedly accepted the challenge to walk up the 669 stairs of the Eiffel Tower to take in the breathtaking views of the city. Unfortunately we were unable to talk the elevator to the very top because of time constraints.
Palace of Versailles I was most excited about this stop on the tour because of the historical significance of one of the world’s largest palaces. Versailles of course is a symbol of the power and corruption of the absolute monarchy of France; and for me the French Revolution is my favourite part of Social 20. I was eager to walk the extensive gardens, see the fountains and to marvel at the Hall of Mirrors where the Treaty of Versailles was signed to end The Great War.
Florence: Duomo & Uffizi Gallery The Eiffel Tower and the Spanish Steps were not the only stairs we climbed. We climbed over 400 steps to reach the top of the Campanile of the Florence Cathedral in the Piazza del Duomo. I had longed to see this since teaching my Social 8 class about the architectural feats of this Cathedral in our Renaissance unit. After our guided walking tour of this fabulous city and learning about the Medici family; we had some free time; I spent mine with a few students exploring the Uffizi Gallery and for me it was just as wonderful as the Louvre.
Rome: Colosseum & Vatican City “Rome will exist as long as the Coliseum does; when the Coliseum falls, so will Rome; when Rome falls, so will the world.” I never quite understood this quote until I took in the Coliseum in all is greatness.
In addition to being home to the Pope the Vatican was a trove of iconic art and architecture that I was so honoured to have seen.
Venice From the Doge’s Palace to Basilica di San Marco to the Grand Canal to Rialto Bridge to the Scuola Grande San Giovanni Evangelista; Venice did not disappoint.
We also spent time in Sorrento, Pompeii and Capri; and MANY other places along the way. I look forward to sharing them with you in another post.
After four days in San Francisco we were glad to be home with our loved ones and our puppies! It was a very busy few days. On day one we flew into SFO and took the BART to our hotel and headed over to Macy’s of course tobrowse the merchandise and to pick up our CityPass.
The CityPass booklet gave us unlimited use of the cable cars (which are $7 a ride), street cars and buses. The booklet was worth its cost in transportation alone. There were also admissions to The Aquarium of the Bay, California Academy of Sciences and the SFMOMA as well as a ticket for a boat cruise AND coupons for several stores and bicycle vendors. If you are traveling check to see if there is a CityPass available for your locale. It also allows you to skip the lines for these attractions.
Originally when we planned this trip we each picked 5 MUST SEE LOCATIONS/EXPERIENCES. My top locations/experiences were: Fisherman’s Wharf, Pier 39/Aquarium by the Bay, SFMOMA, SF Botanic Gardens and to ride a cable car.
We made a few alterations to our itinerary for example we traded the SF Botanic Gardens for the Japanese Tea Garden on my list. And swapped out sushi for incredible dim sum in Chinatown on my best friend’s list.
We also added a TON of must see locations too!
-Foghouse Restaurant for a seafood feast -Pier 45 to see an old battleship and submarine -Ghirardelli Square -Hyde’s Pier to see more historic ships -Boudin Sourdough Factory -Coit Tower & Greenwich stairs -Shopping around Union Square: Target and Bloomingdales and along Powell Street: Sephora and Walgreens -Octagon House -San Francisco Brewery Company -City Hall -Haight-Ashbury -Golden Gate Park -Chinatown -Alcatraz
1 Fisherman’s Wharf -This area was super busy but boasted great restaurants and of course the Boudin Sourdough Factory where we were able to sample some, see how it was made and even take a quiz to determine our “bread type” (I’m a dusted wheat in case you were wondering). You could also see maritime history at its finest at the Wharf.
2 Pier 39/Aquarium by the Bay -Lots of cute shops and yummy restaurants such as Fog House, Eagle Cafe, Bubba Gump as well as a huge candy store (Candy Baron) where barrels and barrels of traditional and funky flavored taffy abounded. The Aquarium here was alright however if you want a better experience I suggest the Aquarium at the California Academy of Sciences (you get a much better value for money as the CAS has an indoor rainforest, planetarium, living roof and MANY other exhibits in addition to their Aquarium). The sea lions were quite the sight as well!
3 SF Museum of Modern Art -Seven floors of incredibly interesting pieces. The only exhibit we didn’t make it to was the Magritte. Definitely a nice way to spend an afternoon to wind down.
4 Japanese Tea Garden -The admission was $9USD but worth it. Set in gorgeous Golden Gate Park this hidden gem was originally built as part of a World’s Fair in 1894. It features a Tea House, Treasure Tower Pagoda, Moon Bridge and Rock Garden.
5 Cable Car Ride -An unforgettable way to see San Fran. Cable Cars are a historic landmark of the city. The best time to take them is first thing in the morning and late at night; the line ups are very long so be prepared to wait! We took the Powell/Mason and Powell/Hyde Cable Cars. We would have liked to take them more but the Street Car (F) and city buses worked better for us in terms of our destinations.
We are both looking forward to our next trip together!!
