Tag: exploring

Southern Charm in Savannah & Hilton Head

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At the end of April, Scott and I travelled to Savannah, GA with our friends Kali and Kevin and their 18-month son (our godson), Ender. We rented an AirBnb about halfway between Historic Downtown Savannah and Tybee Island which saved us a lot of money on the rental and was the perfect set up for visiting both the city and the beach!

We got in on a Friday evening and after picking up our rental car, we drove to the Pirates’ House for dinner. I ordered the Georgian salmon with peach piccalilli, sweet potatoes and broccolini. Our friends got the crab dip which they gave good reviews but I don’t do shellfish. They also had a kid’s menu which was great for Ender.

Kali and Kevin were in the middle of the 75 Hard Challenge during our trip so after dinner we went for a long walk around town and along the river, which was really beautiful. There were a handful of people singing or playing jazz on trumpets down by the water too.

The next morning, we decided to spend the day exploring downtown Savannah. We started the day with brunch at Alexander’s Bistro. I noticed the employee who rung up our food was wearing a shirt from one of my clients at work so I struck up a conversation and made a connection which was really cool. She said she was in school at SCAD but she loves Wisconsin and wants to go into advertising after college so maybe someday we’ll reconnect.

Scott and I both had the Slow Start Scramble breakfast sandwich and I ordered a glass of Fairy Juice which was Butterfly pea tea and lemonade – both were phenomenal! After a delicious breakfast, we walked over to Forsyth Park to see the iconic fountain. There was also a big farmers’ market going on so we walked through and one of the vendors gave us some honey sticks after we stopped to pet her dog.

On our way out of the park, we came across a street magician who we learned was named Jack Murdock. We stopped to watch his show which was really fun and pretty impressive! The most shocking was when he somehow got an audience member’s dollar bill inside of an orange without cutting it open or any of us noticing him put it in!

That afternoon we went to the Oatland Island Wildlife Center. It was pretty much like a big zoo with a lot of walking trails. We saw some alligators (both in captivity and wild!) and a big cougar came up to the glass and jumped up at us and then started wrestling with the other one! Definitely the most action I’ve ever seen at a zoo!

We were pretty tired after being out all day so we went back and dropped off the boys at the AirBnb and Kali and I went and picked up a couple of pizzas from Mellow Mushroom for dinner. I really enjoyed the Pacific Rim pizza which was like a spicy Hawaiian! After dinner we all drove back downtown and got Ben & Jerry’s for dessert.

The next morning (Sunday), we drove over to Hilton Head Island in South Carolina, to the same area where Kali and Kevin spent their honeymoon. We stopped in at the Hilton Head Social Bakery in Shelter Cove for some chai tea and pastries. The fruit tart I ordered was amazing, but our chai lattes were made way too strongly so we took them back inside to see if they could remake them. Someone else came out and we explained the situation. The employee grabbed Kali’s drink and took a sip, immediately looking repulsed (it was truly like straight cinnamon juice). He started remaking them right away, and Kali reminded him to put almond milk in hers. Suddenly, he turned around and said, “Almond?! I’m allergic to almonds!” He panicked and grabbed a water bottle which he began chugging and I dug through my purse and pulled out a couple of blister-packed Benadryls. He declined at first, saying he would be okay, but I insisted he hang on to them just in case. He finished making our drinks and we walked outside. Not five minutes later, he ran out to our table and told me that he was feeling super itchy and thanked me, saying he had taken the Benadryl. Then he ran down the sidewalk and we didn’t see him again!

We walked down the sidewalk in that direction and even checked the bathrooms, but he was nowhere to be found. It started to rain so we ducked into one of the souvenir shops and bought some t-shirts and hats while we waited for the cloud to pass. It was a heavy rain, but was over fast so we changed into our swimsuits and started walking towards the beach.

It was about a 30-40 minute walk but when we arrived it was so nice to be on the beach. It was a bit windy and the water was kind of cold, but there’s just something about being near the ocean. We ordered some piña coladas and enjoyed having our feet in the sand.

Kali had made dinner reservations at Ela’s, their favorite restaurant from their honeymoon, so we walked back to the Shelter Cove Marina. Scott and I split a Caesar salad which was served on really unique teardrop plates. Since I’m not big on seafood, I ordered the Vegetarian Pasta Primavera which tasted super fresh and delicious!

After dinner we walked around the marina a bit and took some pictures and then drove back to Savannah. We watched an episode of Ted Lasso at the AirBnb and then called it a night after Scott dozed off and started talking in his sleep!

The next morning was our last full day and it was time for a beach day at Tybee Island! A lot of the breakfast spots in Tybee didn’t open until later, but we found some tasty food at The Breakfast Club. Unfortunately, we also got a parking ticket, so definitely make sure you pay attention to signs in that area! Even if the sign is way down the block they will hold you accountable!

We drove down to the beach after breakfast where we made sure to pay for our parking and then found a spot to camp out on the sand. Scott walked Ender down to the water to splash around while Kali and I dug holes in the sand to take some fun photos.

Later we walked over to the pier to film a video and take some more pictures. I jumped on Scott’s back for a picture and when he put me down, I wasn’t expecting it and fell backwards onto the sand! In my moment of surprise, my reflexes kicked in and I reached to grab onto something and accidentally pulled Scott’s swim trunks down to his ankles! After the initial shock and embarrassment of the moment, we all had a good laugh about it.

We walked along the pier and got some frozen treats to cool off and then walked around the island so Kali and Kevin could get their 45 minute outdoor activity in for the 75 Hard. For dinner we drove back to Savannah and went to the rooftop restaurant, Bar Julian. It’s on top of the Thompson Hotel and overlooks the Savannah river. Our salad and both pizzas were fantastic, but I have to call out the most unique thing we ordered – the pepperoni butter! It’s hard to describe other than it was salty, buttery, and well, pepperoni-y and it went perfectly with the freshly baked bread it was served with. It was easily one of my favorite meals from the whole weekend.

After dinner, we closed out the trip with a walking ghost tour in downtown Savannah! Our tour guide was really great and pointed out lots of buildings with paranormal reports and eerie stories behind them.

After the tour, we walked down to the river one more time and bought some more t-shirts and souvenirs and then got ice cream from Leopold’s. The line was way down the street but my lavender ice cream was definitely worth the wait. Thanks for the good vibes and great memories Savannah!

St. Louis: The Gateway to the West

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At the end of June, I roadtripped down to St. Louis, Missouri to visit some of my girlfriends. On the way down, I drove with a couple from my church who was headed to the Ozarks the following week and spent a night in our STL hotel with us. On the way back, I drove by myself and it was my longest solo roadtrip!

We arrived at our hotel (the Holiday Inn Express in Central West End) late afternoon on Friday and checked in to relax and get settled. After an hour or so we freshened up and headed downtown for the Cardinals v Cubs game at Busch Stadium. Before the game we went to Paddy-O’s for dinner and drinks. I ordered a cheeseburger which came with a bag of chips, and then headed over to the Deep Eddy’s Vodka truck for a cocktail. They had limited mixers so I landed on a Ruby Red Grapefruit and Sprite. Tasty, refreshing, and of course, pink.

After dinner and a round of bags on Paddy-O’s patio, we walked over to the stadium. It was a hot night for a game (the whole time we were in STL it was in the 90s actually), with hardly any breeze, so we had to step out for water at the concession stand and an A/C break in the team store.

I’m typically a Brewers fan, being from Wisconsin, but I was happy to assume the role of a Cardinals fan for the weekend (especially since they were playing the Cubs). Sadly, the Cards lost that night, but it was still a fun experience to see the stadium and enjoy the ballpark atmosphere.

On our way back to the hotel, I insisted we stop at Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams (you’ll know Jeni’s is a favorite of mine if you’ve read my Columbus and Chicago blogs). I got a bowl of Wildberry Lavender and Sweet Cream Biscuits & Peach Jam. Fantastic as always!

The next morning (Saturday), we slept in and then got ready and went to Anheuser-Busch for a brewery tour. Unfortunately, they were all sold out for the day by the time we arrived, so we decided to stay for lunch and then booked a tour for the next day. I had the pulled pork nachos with beer cheese!

After lunch, we decided to grab a frozen cocktail flight from Narwhal’s Crafted to help us beat the heat. I tried the Strawberry Peach Bellini, Passion Fruit Punch, and the Watermelon Frosé. Yum, yum, and yum! We sat outside on the patio, and it was so hot, the drinks started melting almost immediately. They were delicious and refreshing, but I was grateful for the air conditioning when we left and went to the Arch.

If you know me, you know I don’t like heights, but what’s the point of going to the Arch if you aren’t going to take a rickety tram ride to the top? The trams looked like little space pods and were a bit claustrophobic. They each held only five passengers and from the side seats, I had to duck my head to fit! But despite the questionable ride, it was totally worth it for the views (and the experience).

Once we arrived safely back on the ground, we explored the museum and the Arch gift shop before heading to The Hill for dinner. The Hill is an Italian neighborhood, with more Italian restaurants than I could count. They were all very busy, and we put our name on three waitlists before eventually getting a table at Anthonino’s. We were still recovering from the heat of the day too much to drink anything other than water, but we ordered the toasted ravioli as a starter. It’s a St. Louis staple and absolutely delizioso! And as if that wasn’t enough ravioli, I ordered the “regular” ravioli with a house salad for my main. That was also delicious and the big portions meant I got to take a couple raviolis home for later.

We opted out of dessert at Anthonino’s, so we could make a stop at Gelato di Riso for well, gelato. I was in the mood for something fruity so I had the Blood Orange and Blueberry. After dessert we walked behind the building to Piazza Imo – an elegant courtyard with a marble fountain and tables set up for chess and checkers.

The next day was Sunday and we started it off with brunch at The Bellwether. I had the Cinnamon Toast Crunch French Toast and of course a mimosa.

Then we headed back to Anheuser-Busch for our tour! We arrived a bit early so we spent some time in the Biergarten where I tried Field of Dreams, a lager with a hint of strawberry from their Underground Collection. The tour was neat. It was cool learning about the brewing process and seeing all the different buildings, but my favorite part was getting to see the Budweiser Clydesdales, one of which was named Scott (my husband’s name if you’re new here)!

After our tour, we headed to Mission Taco for an early dinner (and more drinks). I had the Smuggler’s Blues which was house made frozen margarita swirled with strawberry-pineapple agua fresca and coconut syrup. Delish.

After dinner, we wanted to go to a karaoke bar because I’ve never done karaoke before, but sadly it was closed. We stopped at the Protagonist Cafe, a coffeeshop-bookstore next door instead. I found a used copy of “Beartown” by Frederick Backman that I had to buy; I read Backman’s “Anxious People” last year and I think it’s still my favorite book, so I’m looking forward to checking out another one by him.

We had wanted to rent a paddle boat in Forest Park after dinner, but we arrived a little too close to when the Boathouse closed, so we decided to walk around the park instead. We explored lots of paths, buildings, water features and fountains, and eventually ended up at the Jewel Box – a beautiful greenhouse that is also used as an event venue.

After our walk, we ended the night at Clementine’s Creamery where they make “Naughty” (aka alcohol-infused) and “Nice” ice cream. I sampled the Chocolate Cabernet (Naughty) which was tasty, but I ended up opting for the Honey Lavender (Nice).

The next day, Monday, was our last day in STL. After checking out of the hotel, we went to Salt + Smoke for lunch. I had the St. Louis Cut Ribs with fries and White Cheddar Cracker Mac. They had lots of sauces to try too – I loved the My Sweet Bestie. I also had LOTS of leftovers here that I took home and ate with Scott back in Wisconsin.

After lunch, it was time to get on the road so I could make it back by dinner time/before dark. I turned on my audiobook and made the five and a half hour drive back (with only one stop!).

It was excellent trip – s/o to St. Louis for being yet another Midwest city to surprise me!

Southwest is Best: Exploring New Mexico & Arizona

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My husband and I recently traveled to Albuquerque, New Mexico – our first trip together just the two of us since our honeymoon in 2018! And when I say we went to Albuquerque, we made Albuquerque our home base, but we drove all around the state in the five days we were there and even crossed the boarder into Arizona.

When our flight landed in Albuquerque on Thursday, we picked up our Turo rental car from the lovely Raquel, and checked into our Airbnb (The Enchanted Sage) near the Laurelwoods and West Mesa neighborhoods. After a getting settled in and taking a little siesta, we went to the River of Lights holiday display at the ABQ BioPark Botanic Garden.

It was an impressive display, and while it was definitely geared a bit towards families with kids, we enjoyed walking through the lights and felt it was a festive welcome to our time in the Southwest. We also popped into the aquarium on our way out and watched sharks and stingrays swimming right in front of us for probably about 20 minutes. I was totally mesmerized.

The next morning we got up around 4:00am and took Route 66 west to Gallup, NM to watch the mass ascension of hot air balloons at the 40th annual Red Rock Balloon Rally. It was definitely worth it for these views:

It was less of a touristy event, and seemed more for the actual balloonists themselves, but hiking through Red Rock State Park surrounded by hot air balloons was a truly magical experience. We sadly did not get the balloon ride I was hoping for, but there were very few spectators and event attendees aside from the balloonists, so we were just glad to be able to see the vibrant balloons floating all around us.

We hiked for a couple of hours and slowly the balloons started to land. It looked like they were coming down to break for lunch, and we were starting to get hungry too, so we headed into Gallup and stopped for a bite to eat at Fratelli’s Bistro.

Gallup is only about 20 miles from the Arizona boarder and Scott had never been, so we knew we had to make the drive. Raquel, our Turo host, had given us a National Park tag to use for the week, so we decided to spend the rest of the day at the Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona.

There were so many miles of park to explore. They said you can drive the whole park in about an hour if you make minimal stops, but we spent around three hours exploring and ended up stopping at around half of the trails and overlooks. After several hours of exploring, I was feeling exhausted and out of breath which I think was partially due to a mild case of altitude sickness, so we called it a day and hopped back on Route 66 to Albuquerque.

The next morning, we enjoyed sleeping in late. Once we were feeling fully rested, we made our way to Tia B’s La Waffleria. I highly recommend spending your Saturday sleeping in, finding a cute Waffleria, and fueling up with berry lavender waffles. Would you believe me if I said I ate the whole plate? I was pretty darn close.

Scott rolled me to the car, and then we drove to the base of the Sandia Mountains to ride the Sandia Peak Tramway to the top. This was an incredible experience, although totally terrifying if you’re not a fan of heights (like me). Crazily enough, just a week or two after we rode it, the tramway got stuck and more than 20 people had to be rescued by helicopter!

At the top, we walked along the crest for about a mile or so to the Kiwanis Cabin, and were surprised to see snow on the ground! Didn’t we head south to escape the snow for the winter?

Thankfully, we didn’t get too cold and we made it safely back to the ground. We then made a last minute decision to go to El Pinto for dinner, which was a great decision if I must say so myself.

The photos really don’t do it justice. The patio was actually so magical, with plants all around and even a black cat wandering the space and saying hello to guests! And the food was so good, I forgot to take a picture until it was already halfway gone! With full bellies and tired legs, we went back to our Airbnb and enjoyed a cozy night in for the rest of the evening.

On day four, our second to last day, we drove north to Jemez Springs to explore some natural hot springs. There were a few in the area but some required long hikes to reach, so we opted for Spence Hot Springs. It still required a short hike on an unmarked trail to get to the springs, but was easy enough to find, and totally worth it. There were a couple of different pools of varying temperatures and even a steamy hidden cave that we sat in for a while. We chatted with a couple of travel nurses who were out exploring and enjoying their weekend, but it really wasn’t very busy otherwise.

After a nice relaxing soak, we hiked back to the car and drove to Santa Fe. We went downtown and explored lots of cute little shops for a while. Okay, so maybe I shopped and Scott just tagged along, but we found some fun souvenirs and treats to bring home for family and friends.

As with every vacation, the days flew by and before we knew it, it was our last day in Albuquerque. We brought the trip full circle by spending the morning at the ABQ BioPark Zoo looking at the animals. We were impressed by the zoo’s upkeep and the variety of animals that were there. A tiger roared for us as it paced its enclosure, penguins swam overhead and underfoot in the Penguin Chill exhibit, and we even watched a baby hippo play with mom and dad in their family’s little pond.

After the zoo, we went to Sawmill Market for lunch. Sawmill Market is a collection of restaurants and bars under one roof (more or less an upscale food court!), to allow everyone in your crew to find something they love no matter their mood. I opted for Hawt Pizza Co. (don’t sleep on the Lavender Lemonade!) and Scott had a burger from Dr Field Goods. Sadly we were there too early in the day for the adorable Botanic Bar to be open, but hopefully next time!

After lunch, we met up with Raquel to drop off the rental car, and then it was time to head back to Wisco. It’s always bittersweet when a vacation comes to an end, but we’re both grateful to have had the chance to visit New Mexico and Arizona and experience the welcoming Southwest culture and beautiful desert scenery. Can’t wait for our next adventure!