Wanderlust Wednesday: Isle of Skye, Scotland

On March 23, 2016March 24, 2016 By rebeccawanderlustingIn International Travel, Wanderlust WednesdayLeave a comment

Happy Wanderlust Wednesday! As stated in this past post, I wanted to start talking about places I want to go to along with the places that I’ve been. It seems that idea was a good one from the response I got from that post so here we go! This time around I’m talking about Isle of Sky, Scotland. Scotland has been on my list since I studied abroad in London in 2010, and missed the chance to do a weekend trip there (I went to Ireland instead). This beautiful, lush, green land of legends and mythical creatures is calling my name. The whole country is beautiful, and Isle of Skye seems like epitome of that beauty. While I don’t have any immediate plans to travel there, I would jump at the chance to jet off to the Isle of Skye.

What I would want to see and do:

The Fairy Pools and Fairy Fields – too magical to resist
Dunvegan Castle – the oldest, still lived-in castle in Scotland
The Old Man of Storr – a beautiful rocky outcropping that looks like something out of Game of Thrones
The Waterfalls – oh, all the gorgeous waterfalls in all their mythical glory
Hike the hills and spot some sheep
Kayak in the beautiful, turquoise sea
Walk the streets of Portree
Photo Courtesy of IsleofSkye.com

What I would want to eat:

The freshest seafood, sitting at a table overlooking the ocean
Haggis – the Scottish delicacy, that I can’t promise that I’ll enjoy, but I will certainly try it anyways
Shortbread and tea
Fish and chips – a UK favorite
The traditional full Scottish Breakfast

Where I would stay:

The Broadford Hotel – for it’s stunning views and classy bedrooms.
The Ben Tianavaig Bed & Brekafast – for it’s charm and undeniable appeal.
The Flodigarry Hotel – again, gorgeous views, and posh, old-timey decor to boot.

When I would go:

In the late springtime, when the wildflowers are blooming and the weather is mild. There will be less tourists and maybe a little more rain, but what’s a little rain in the land of rainbows?

How I would get there:

Travelling from Chicago, I would need to fly out of O’Hare International Airport into Inverness, Scotland and take a bus or rent a car to get to the Isle of Skye.

Helpful Isle of Skye Blogs:

A Dangerous Business – “The Isle of Skye: Still My Favorite part of Scotland“
Adventurous Kate – “On a Skye High in Scotland”
Hand Luggage Only – “The Complete Guide to Travelling Across the Highlands of Scotland“
Sugar and Soul – “Scotland – Isle of Skye”
Photo Courtesy of IsleofSkye.com

What do you think? Are you falling in love with The Isle of Skye like I am? Or, if you have been there, what was your favorite part of The Isle of Skye? Do you have any tips for what to do or where to stay?

Top Five Friday #10

On March 18, 2016 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Top Five Friday, Travel Tips4 Comments

Tips for Travel Budgeting

Budgeting is a necessary step in the trip planning process. It may determine the destination, or the type of accommodation, or set a goal for a trip in the far future. Whatever the case may be, a solid budget is an essential travel accessory. Below are my top five tips for budgeting for your next trip:

Set a realistic number to start with and stick to it. Research how much the primary expenses will be, this would include your flight/gas/train ticket and your accommodations. Factor in attraction costs and tours, then add in how much you would ideally spend each day on food and miscellaneous expenses. The key is to not be stingy with your budget starting out. If you have more than you thought you might need during your trip, that’s better than the alternative. (For tips on saving money to add to your travel budget, see this blog).
Add in buffer funds. Whatever you came up with tip #1, add a few hundred to it for emergency expenses. Keep this buffer fund in a separate savings account, or in cash hidden in your suitcase somewhere. In other words, somewhere you can’t readily get to unless you absolutely need it. Hopefully you’ll never need to touch these extra funds, but it’s good to know you have them should anything come up.
Check fees and extra charges before booking. If you have a set budget, you need to account for the fees charged with airline and hotel bookings that might exceed what you’ve budgeted for. For example, budget airlines like Spirit and Frontier have fees and extra charges for pretty much everything. $5 to choose your seat ahead of time, $35 for a carry-on bag… these things add up pretty quickly. There are some hostels charge extra for luggage storage and linens and hotels that will charge for WiFi and parking. Check all of this ahead of time and factor it into the budget.
Budget for each day using cash only. You already know what you want to spend daily, so make it easier on yourself and have only that much cash on you each day. It is much easier to keep track of where you’re at when you are using tangible dollars for each purchase rather than swiping a card for everything you buy. This is a handy way to stay on budget, but you should certainly keep your credit/debit card on hand too in case you’re in need of those buffer funds.
Leave room for last minute adventures. Yes, budgeting is very important for each and every trip, however, I’ve always been of the belief that adventure is nothing without a little spontaneity. If there is something you really want to do or see, go for it! Don’t miss an opportunity to do something you’ll never get the chance to try again just because you’re budget might be a little tight for it. You’re on vacation after all, have a little fun.

What is your best budgeting tip? What adventure would you splurge on?

The Perks of Solo Travel

On March 15, 2016 By rebeccawanderlustingIn solo travel, Travel Writing1 Comment

I don’t always travel by myself, but when I do, I revel in the untainted freedom of it. There is a certain beauty to exploring a new city on your own. It’s not that I don’t love travelling with my friends or with my boyfriend, but there is a special place in my heart for travelling alone. One could argue that seeing a new destination is best when you have someone to share it with, but I feel like sometimes I appreciate it more when I discover new places on my own. It’s so gratifying to successfully navigate an unfamiliar destination without relying on anyone but yourself. I’ve done it well and I’ve done it not so successfully, but there is no doubt that I will keep travelling solo as long as it’s an option. Below are my favorite perks of solo travel:

Being in Control of Your Own Schedule: Your time is 100% your own and you can fill it with whatever you want. There is no need to compromise what you want to accomplish because it’s your trip. If you want to lay on the beach all day and read trashy romance novels, you can do that. If you want to eat at the same restaurant for breakfast lunch and dinner, you can do that too. Your trip, your decisions, whatever makes you happy is what you can and should do.
Meeting Amazing People: It’s always easier to meet new people when you’re by yourself than with a group; maybe because you seem more approachable or maybe because you’re more open to your surroundings when you are alone. Whenever I travel alone, I meet the kindest people who are always ready and willing to help with directions, give restaurant suggestions or chat for a while about the city we’re in, or anything at all.
Never Being Bored: I think my biggest pet peeve about telling people I’ll be travelling alone is when they ask, “Won’t you be bored? What are you even going to do there?” The answer to this annoying question: I’m going to discover a place that is completely new to me, I’m going to try exciting new foods, I’m going to get a feel for the culture and the people. I will be so busy enjoying these new experiences that I won’t even think about boredom. How could anyone be bored on vacation, alone or otherwise?
Gaining Confidence: When I took a solo road trip to Asheville, NC, I was testing a lot of personal limits. I’m not a super comfortable driver, but I made it there without incident AND once there, I drove up and down mountains. MOUNTAINS. This was a very large step outside my comfort zone, however it is kind of necessary to force yourself out of your comfort zone when you travel alone. There won’t be anyone else there to do the uncomfortable things for you. You have to count on yourself for the whole trip, but then again, that’s how you find out what you’re made of.
Never Waiting Around: How many times have you tried to plan a trip, but couldn’t find anyone with the time or funds to go with you? If you travel alone, you only have your own schedule and budgeting to worry about. This makes choosing when and where you’re going a whole lot simpler. There’s also the plus of not having to compromise where you want to go with your would have been travel companions.
Learning a thing or two: Travelling alone is a wonderfully eye opening experience. You’ll learn to be comfortable on your own, and that’s a solid life skill. You will also learn how to consistently budget, the value of a back-up plan, how many pairs of shoes is too many pairs to pack, and, not to mention, how amazingly helpful Google Maps is. If nothing else, you will come back with the knowledge that this is something you can do. You can travel alone, enjoy a new place and enjoy yourself in the process.

Travelling solo is really an amazing and invaluable experience that everyone should try, more than once if possible. Yes, it may change you, but only in the best of ways.

Here are the solo trips I’ve taken lately: Asheville, Miami, Washington, D.C.

Have you travelled solo before? Where did you go? What did you like best about travelling alone?

When Plans Fall Through

On March 10, 2016 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Travel Writing, Trip Planning9 Comments

Sometimes, no matter how meticulously you plan, travel plans fall through. Maybe something unavoidable came up, forcing you to cancel, maybe you’ve found that you’re in a little over your head financially and need to dial it back, or maybe you just lost interest in that particular destination. Whatever the case may be, it’s okay to change plans. It happens. Heck, it’s happened twice to me in the past month. I’ve rearranged travel plans to better fit my budget, and I’ve done the opposite and splurged on a trip I will need to save up some more money for. They actually go hand in hand, really.

Back in December, Mike gave me a trip to Toronto for my birthday. Over the past three months, this thoughtful gift turned into a little bit of stress for both of us. First it was because we had to keep changing the date due to work conflicts (my fault), then we couldn’t decide whether we should drive or fly there; these little things kept nagging at us. Plus it was starting to get more and more pricey. It just wasn’t coming together. It felt like a sign that this trip just wasn’t meant to be, so we cancelled it. We still wanted to have a long weekend though, because we both had already taken the days off of work. We needed somewhere closer, cheaper, and with enough points of interest to keep us busy, but not enough to overwhelm our short time there. Enter: Grand Rapids, Michigan, home of Founder’s Brewery, Frederick Meijer Gardens, good food and antique stores galore! You might think, “that is the most random place for a romantic weekend getaway,” but it fit the bill perfectly for us. And to be honest, I’m actually a little more excited with this change because it came together so seamlessly. The fact that it will be a cheaper long weekend is a big plus for me due to my second change of travel plans this month. I’ve scrapped a budget friendly trip for the fall to splurge on a eurotrip to Iceland and Copenhagen (more on that later).

So the moral of this story is, someday, a trip that maybe you had been looking forward to will fall through, but that does not mean an equally great if not better situation might come up. The great thing about travel is anywhere you go is bound to have at least one great attraction, restaurant, book store, or whatever interests you. Every destination has it’s merits.

Has this ever happened to you? How did you overcome cancelling your plans?

Nosferatune, Adrienne Thomas, RebeccaWanderlusting

An Interview with Adrienne Thomas, Creator of Nosferatune

On March 8, 2016March 8, 2016 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Interview, Travel Writing, US TravelLeave a comment

My very good friend, Adrienne, is a true creative, a great writer and a music enthusiast. She is the author and creator of the music blog, Nosferatune, which is chock-full of original and inspiring content. Recently, she joined the band Marrow on tour through the American South, mixing her loves of music and travel. I was lucky enough to be able to get the inside scoop on her experiences on the road.

This great adventure all started with another adventure in our home city of Chicago, where Adrienne performed in a burlesque variety show, The Fly Honey Show. A band called Homme was also performing in the show.

RebeccaWanderlusting (RW): How did you come by Homme in the first place?

Adrienne Thomas (AT): “I met them in underwear, singing on stage at the Fly Honey show. I talked with them briefly back stage, I really loved their song, and they were obviously well connected with the creators of the Fly Honey show. I heard about a show of theirs at the Hideout (we all went) and wrote a little piece on it and took some photos. After that I didn’t seem them until I emailed Sima to see if she wanted to wanted to make something in New Orleans. And then this all happened.”

Adrienne and her boyfriend, John, had been planning a trip to New Orleans, where, coincidentally, the band Marrow was playing a show. Let me explain the degrees of separation here: Sima and Macie make up the band Homme, Sima also performs solo and was the opening act for the band Marrow, which Macie is a member of. Adrienne did a photo shoot with Homme in New Orleans and went to the Marrow show there as well. Afterwards, they invited her to join them on tour. They had wanted her to join the tour the next day, but, because there were still three days left in her New Orleans trip, there was a decision to be made.

Adrienne Thomas of Nosferatune 5 — *Photo Courtesy of Adrienne Thomas*

RW: Initially, was there any hesitation to say yes, let’s go?

AT: “Before I realized that I could actually tell them when I can, I was thinking ‘Oh my gosh am I going to leave John early, do I have to make this decision?’ I thought about it, and thought no, they want me, so I’m going to tell them when I can, and if that works out for them, cool. So that was a little bit of a challenge, organizing that, and finding out where I would meet them in the country, but it worked out! That was probably the only thing, I didn’t want to end my vacation early but I also know that this was a super great opportunity, so I might have, if they said it’s this or nothing. I think it was definitely a lesson in understanding the value of my work, instead of thinking ‘Oh, I really want to go on tour with these people, I’m going to bend over backwards to make it happen and get payed by them’ instead of that, I had to flip it around and be like ‘Adrienne you’re really talented and you have a lot of work under your belt and you should be able to set the grounds for this’. It took me a day to realize that I didn’t need to be at the whim of them, they could be at the whim of me a little.”

With that, a plan was set in motion to meet them in Nashville and join them for the rest of the tour. Adrienne and John finished their New Orleans trip and drove up to Tennessee, taking a day to themselves in Memphis before heading to Nashville. The tour moved from Nashville to Jackson, MS to Houston, Austin, and Dallas, then Wichita, Kansas City and Columbus, MO, before ending in Champaign/Urbana.

Adrienne Thomas of Nosferatune 2 — *Photo Courtesy of Adrienne Thomas*

RW: How long did you spend in each location and where did you sleep?

AT: “The longest was two days, we spent two days in Austin and Wichita. The shortest was, one time we just stopped for the show, we spent 6 hours at the venue and then continued driving. Most nights we spent one night. We drove all day, got to the venue, did sound check, walked around the city, did the show, went to someone’s house to sleep, woke up and left. We didn’t stay at any hotels, it was all through connections. They arranged it every night staying with someone that someone knew that opened their house for us. Therefore, we met a lot of really nice people.”

One moment of the trip stuck out as memorable to Adrienne, it occurred at one of the many homes that they were welcomed into. This particular home was in Wichita, KS, and they had driven most of the night to get there. They slept most of the day, and awoke for dinner with the family. One room of the house was musically inclined, containing a piano and an organ. Adrienne describes one of her favorite nights of the trip like this: “Macie started playing piano, she’s the best at piano, she’s fantastic, and Liam came in and started playing the organ that was in there, Dorian came in and started playing the guitar and then Sima came in and started singing with Macie. And they all broke out into a David Bowie medley. It was the most special experience. When you think about music… most musicians know how to jam together, they can pick up on what someone is playing and add in their own. That’s just one of the coolest things about music that people can just come together in a second and create a song, a full song, and all add their own aspect to it. They’re not afraid musically, when they sing with each other or when they improvise, they’re not wondering if they sound good. They’re all confident in their sound, which is what made that moment so cool.”

RW: Which venue was your favorite?

AT: “Dallas was really cool because it was so warm out and all of the bars were open, and the music was so loud and it went down all the streets. I went for a walk four blocks away and I could hear them warming up. What a great natural marketing, talk about music leading you to where you want to be. That ended up being a really great show. Dallas was a lot of people that didn’t know them who became fans of them at the end of the show. People were dancing. For a tour that was relatively small scale, as in they didn’t have many fans come out, they mostly got new fans, that was the most rewarding to watch people have a good time and get into it.”

This tied into why she enjoyed the tour as a whole: “It wasn’t an all-star tour, they didn’t have a lot of people coming out, but there was still purpose to the tour. They were gathering a crowd and proving that they could tour together. And my role, as documenting the process, was to help them improve their image as a touring, successful band so they could get better booking agents, better management. That was cool, to learn why they wanted me to document a tour that wasn’t super popular. If I can have that direct of an effect on band’s being well known and respected, then that makes me feel really good.”

RW: What did your job on tour entail?

AT: “There were basically four parts that I filmed for every show. 1. Time lapse videos of load-in and set-up, 2. Film our walk around the city, because there was always a gap between the sound check and the performance, a couple hours. I would film us walking whether we went to get barbeque or ice cream, so I filmed them and we tried to make some fun situations, visually. One time we went past a car dealership with an old school Chevy in it, so they stopped and played house in this car for a minute, and I thought it would be a good opportunity to shoot. 3. Filming during the shows, I wouldn’t film every song, but I would film and make sure I would get enough footage to have a good recap of the show, get enough footage of each person. 4. I would film and record people’s reactions. After the show, I would ask people what they thought and for that I had a tiny task hand recorder. I didn’t have a whole mic set-up, so I tried to get enough audio clips of people saying “Marrow was awesome! This was great!” That definitely got easier as we went along. In the beginning, I didn’t really know what to capture and towards the end, I knew what kind of footage I needed so I didn’t have to film all the time, I wouldn’t film the same thing over and over and over again.”

Adrienne Thomas of Nosferatune 3 — *Photo Courtesy of Adrienne Thomas*

RW: What were the challenging parts of the tour?

AT: “There’s awkwardness to sift through before I find that comfort zone. That was the same with the tour because I really wanted it to be comfortable for everyone, and I didn’t want to be that person ruining all their moments. They were having a good time, I didn’t want to bombard them with a camera in their face and make them feel like they couldn’t be comfortable. But at the same time, I had to do that enough. I had to not be afraid to do that, and that was a really big challenge. Because I also really wanted them to like me, I really wanted us to be friends. We were travelling together for nine days, so tackling all of those things. 1. I’m afraid to bother them, 2. I’m not getting enough footage, so those two alone kind of clashed. It’s kind of hard to enter a situation like that where everyone is friends and family. They’re all related and all went to high school together so they all know each other very well and have worked on various projects together. So that was intimidating, they were in their element together.”

RW: Do you feel like that situation changed by the end of the trip?

AT: “Yes. I’m definitely more comfortable now around them, and I feel like if I entered that situation with them again, or with another group, now I know what I have to do professionally. I don’t have to get that confused with what I want personally. I’m not going to be afraid to shove a camera in their face. Once I started to get more comfortable in that role, they started being more comfortable around me too. There was a significant warming up that happened about halfway through. It wasn’t the warmest situation, part of that might have been in my head but I’m sure they were like, “who is this girl?” Sima, the tour manager, brought me on, she was leading the whole shebang of filming. But it was really cool to experience the warming up process on their end and on my end because it made the filming better too. My footage got better as the tour went on.”

This tour wasn’t the first time Adrienne mixed music and travel. In fact, music is what most often influences her to travel: “The past two trips that I’ve gone on, I’ve tied music into both of them. In Asheville I recorded an Asheville artist, in New Orleans I recorded Homme. It’s been really cool to make sure that everywhere I travel, I make something, record something. Make it be not just a for-fun vacation. I do have a dream to go to South America and record the music that I find there. I guess to some degree, I kind of just decided that I want to do it in America first, just to make sure that I could do it, and that’s kind of what these travels have been, to make sure that I’m comfortable recording.” When asked what comes first, the music or the destination, she said, “Probably the trip gets planned, because there’s music everywhere. It’s worked out surprisingly easy so far.”

RW: Where is your favorite place you’ve travelled to thus far?

AT: “Amsterdam. Amsterdam taught me that I can move somewhere, conquer a city, as in feel comfortable living there, and learn a whole new genre of music. Amsterdam taught me techno, house, and electronic music that I had no idea about before I moved there. That was really awesome. That kind of faded since I moved away from Amsterdam, but that was a really beautiful example of immersing yourself in a city and having music be a huge part of that. That’s part of the reason I fell in love with Amsterdam, aside from its blissful everything. Biking, freedoms, beauty, bricks, old, old everything… It’s really humbling to be in an old place to realize how new you are as a person.”

Currently, Adrienne works at Revolution Brewery in Logan Square, while still working with musicians, writing and working on her website. When asked if Nosferatune is something she’d like to pursue full time, she said, “Yes. I work at a bar that financially and motivationally supports everything that I do. Every month that I work there is another month that I am working my way up this chain and starting to get paid more for certain things and getting more experience. The fact that I have a job that financially supports my growth as an artist or as a writer or as anything I try to be is a blessing. You can’t just make money right off the bat with this job, you have to learn. I don’t have a business thought process. I’m okay with not having it, I’m going about this in my own way.”

The struggle of knowing when to take a creative passion the next step into a full time career is something we have in common. On this topic, Adrienne has some sage advice: “As soon as I can make honestly, 60-70% of what I’m making right now in freelance work, that’s when I’ll know that it’s ok to jump off and make a little less money for a bit, but let that drive you. If you have a paddle slapping your ass, you’re going to move faster, you’re going to work harder and you’re going to pursue more. It’s definitely a hard call. I think you shouldn’t necessarily look at what other people do in order to decide when you’re ready. You have to really be in touch with what you need and what you’re ready for.”

So what’s next for Adrienne and Nosferatune?

“Video, a video portal that consistently has new videos on it, small or large. New design, something that highlights immediate music sharing, immediate and consistent media sharing versus extended blog posts. I want to make it more like a taste-maker site, than a blogging site. I think less writing, that’s been the problem, because I take a while to write and I think the consistency of my posts is slow. Instead of a feature piece on something, I’d like to have a design or a platform that supports quick sharing so that people can go there and know that they can find a lot of new music at once versus sifting through two new blog posts from the last three weeks. I have the whole design of exactly what I want it to look like and all the functionality tagged in there.”

Nosferatune.com

Personally, I’m just really excited to see what she does and where she goes next! To stay updated on Adrienne’s latest projects, check out her website.

And click here to listen to Homme or Marrow, their music is worth checking out!

Top Five Friday #9

On March 4, 2016March 4, 2016 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Top Five Friday, US Travel, Washington, D.C.Leave a comment

Best Meals in Washington, D.C.

There are an undeniable amount of fantastic restaurants in Washington, D.C. When I started planning my trip, I had a huge list of restaurants I wanted to try. There was such a large range of cuisines and so many well-liked and much talked about places that it was very hard to choose which ones to go to. If I could afford it and stomach it, I would have had at least eight meals a day. However, that isn’t a realistic feat for me, so though I know there are many other great restaurants that very well could have made this list, below are my five favorite restaurants in Washington, D.C.:

Le Diplomate – Scallops Nicoise ($29): This was the first restaurant I visited in DC and it made such a great impression. This upscale French restaurant is gorgeous inside and has dining al fresco as well. Because this place was a little pricey for my budget, I only ordered an entrée and stuck with water to drink. They had a very fancy looking wine list though, and had my budget allowed, I would have certainly ordered a glass or two. They brought out a basket of bread prior to my meal and I counted that as my appetizer; the breads were delicious, especially the cranberry walnut. The scallops were so damn good, perfectly cooked and very flavorful. They were served with orzo, tomatoes, onions, peas and pesto. I could have that meal every night and be so happy.
Ted’s Bulletin – Ted Tart ($3): Let me preface this by saying (again) I do not eat eggs, I don’t like them. So breakfast is always a little bit tricky for me: it’s usually a bunch of side dishes or pancakes. At Ted’s Bulletin, I ordered hash browns, bacon and a Ted Tart, their homemade version of a poptart. They had many different flavors (strawberry, brown sugar, lemon something, blueberry cheesecake…) but I chose the salted caramel tart. It was everything I wanted it to be and more. I wish I could take a dozen home with me, but I doubt they would have lasted more than an hour in my possession. The restaurant was really cute and the coffee was decent. Be prepared to wait for a table if you go on a Sunday morning (unless you go by yourself, like I did!).
Mandu – Mandu Dumplings ($4 for happy hour) & Chap Chae ($15): I read about Mandu in a Buzzfeed article featuring DC’s best cheap eats. I was instantly interested. They have a happy hour that’s available 7 days a week and has some great deals. The servers were really great and capable of explaining any of the Korean dishes you might not be so familiar with. I had dumplings for my appetizer, trying 2 of each dumpling: vegetable, shrimp and beef & pork. Chap Chae was my entrée and it was very good. I loved the Korean condiments (kimchee, pickles, bean sprouts…) that came with it.
Founding Farmers – Strawberries and Cream Waffle ($8) & Pork Sausage ($6): Founding Farmer’s is on a lot of “best of DC” lists so of course I had to try it. It was pretty bustling for a Monday morning, but I was seated right away. I ordered a latte straight away and was happy when it came in a big, cozy mug. For breakfast I ordered the strawberries and cream waffle and sausage links. The waffle was served with a small metal carton of syrup and a large dollop of dense, custard-y cream and fresh strawberries. The sausage was good as well and balanced out the sweetness of the waffle. It was a perfect meal and a perfect way to kick off a day of adventuring.
Momofuku Milk Bar – Crack Pie ($5.50): I knew I wanted to go to Momofuku Milk Bar, but arrived there completely by happy accident. It was my last day in DC and it was pouring and very cold, I rushed into what I thought was a cute bakery and didn’t realize until I was fully inside that it was THE cute bakery. I ordered the Crack Pie, a treat they’re famous for, and stood at the counter to enjoy it with my coffee while I watched the rain. The Crack Pie was mouth-wateringly good. It was caramel-y and sweet and rich and was the cure for my rainy day mood.

I know there are a ton of other great DC restaurants that I probably missed, which are your favorites?

Washington Harbor, Washington DC, US Travel

Washington, D.C. – Part 2

On March 2, 2016March 2, 2016 By rebeccawanderlustingIn solo travel, US Travel, Washington, D.C.2 Comments

On my second full day in Washington, D.C., I awoke early to start another busy day. My first stop was Founding Farmers, a farm-to-table restaurant downtown. I ordered the strawberries and cream waffle with a side of sausage and a latte to round it out. The food was delicious and fresh and the staff was really friendly. I ate every little bit of my meal, and it was the perfect amount to give me the energy to walk around for the rest of the day. I intended to head straight to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial, but I took a slight detour to the Renwick Gallery. I had passed it the day before and the line was down the block; this time there was no line so of course I couldn’t not go in. This gallery also had free admission, as it is an extension of The National Gallery.

Once inside, the woman at the information desk handed me a guide and sent me on my way. Each of the 9 featured artists had their own separate room for their installation, and I walked through them all in awe. The installations were beyond gorgeous and each had its own thought-provoking message. My favorite was “In the Midnight Garden” by Jennifer Angus, which was made mostly of insects a la 7^th grade bug collection.

I also really loved Janet Echelman’s colorful piece in the main room upstairs which consisted of a colorful net strung up from the ceiling.

Once I spent a sufficient time admiring each room, I headed out into the sunny day and walked towards the U.S. Holocaust Memorial.

The Holocaust Memorial was obviously a very emotional experience. I choked up immediately upon entering the actual museum, and had to run into the bathroom to fix my face. Everyone walked through the museum in silence. There were three levels that moved seamlessly in chronological order. It took about two hours to make it through, and it was heart wrenching, but also informative. I certainly left with a different perspective and gratitude. Next, I went to the National Air and Space Museum to see the Amelia Earhart exhibit. The whole museum is very impressive.

There are airplanes and miscellaneous space ships and equipment everywhere – hanging from the ceiling, coming out of the walls, stretching from floor to ceiling. Amelia is one of my favorites and I was surprised to see her exhibit was relatively small compared to others. It was still great though. I also really liked the Time and Navigation Exhibit, which detailed compasses and GPS technology in all its stages. I wandered around the museum, peaking at things that caught my interested, like walking through the full sized Space Station and The Wright Brothers exhibit. Then I moved on to the Library of Congress. The outside of the Thomas Jefferson Building of the Library is gorgeous, much like most of the other buildings in DC, but the inside is stunning.

I viewed the jealousy-inducing reading room from above and checked out Thomas Jefferson’s personal Library, as well as the Civil Rights exhibit right next to it. I couldn’t get over how beautiful the ceiling and walls were. I spent most of my time in the library looking up. By then, my stomach was telling me it was time to move on to We, The Pizza just down the street. I wanted to go there because it’s owned by Spike Mendelsohn, one of my favorite contestants on Top Chef. Sadly, he wasn’t there, but I did thoroughly enjoyed my sausage and sweet pepper pizza. The restaurant was really cute, with the pizzas all lined up in front and a large seating area upstairs.

From there, I walked the few blocks to Folger’s Shakespeare Library, where I had just missed the last tour of the day. The section that was open to the public without a tour was interesting, but small. I’d say it’s worth visiting IF

you do the tour or if you get tickets to see a play in the beautiful theater there. I took a cab back to the hotel to pick up my luggage and check into the hostel where I was staying that night. The Hosteling International DC was just a short walk away, and the lovely front desk staff checked me into my private room (shared bathroom). I noticed that the hostel offered nightly group activities, which I unfortunately had to decline but it did look like a good time! I took the bus to Georgetown, which was about thirty minutes away. I was trying to do some off-the-beaten path things in DC, but it seemed that I was stuck firmly on the path. Oh well, they’re popular for a reason. I got off the bus at M street and found myself in a very ritzy area. Shops like Banana Republic, Tory Burch and Lululemon lined the streets. It
reminded me of the Gold Coast back in Chicago. I

waltzed around a bit, stopping into Olivia Macaron to grab a latte and a champagne macaron. The macaron was delicious and the coffee kept me warm as I continued to wander. The small macaron shop was kiddie corner from Georgetown Cupcakes, a bakery made famous by TLC. I didn’t go in. I worked at a cupcake place in college and haven’t

been able to stomach them since. The houses in Georgetown were beautiful and I had fun admiring them as I walked. I wanted to make my way to Washington Harbor so I walked down Wisconsin Street towards the water. There were some cute stores along the way that I’ve not seen back home, including Redz Trading thrift store and American/Holiday, which had cute clothes, jewelry, and housewares. As I walked towards the harbor, the sun bean to set and once I arrived at the Potomac River, the sky was a mixture of blue, orange and pink. There were restaurants and a skating rink at the harbor, but I walked along the river instead of partaking in them. I had planned on going to Right proper Brewing for Dinner, so I walked along the river and then up through the George Washington University campus to get to the metro.

The ride was quick and the brewery was close to the train stop, however, when I arrived I realized it was closed for a private event. I was pretty bummed because I was looking forward to trying a local brewery, but I moved on anyways. Shaw’s Tavern was one block away, so that is where I ended up. The restaurant featured upscale bar food and a lively atmosphere. I ordered a DC Brau Public Ale and the Shaw’s Burger.

It turned out to be trivia night there, so I stayed and listened to the questions. The beer and burger were so perfect and the bar crowd was full of good vibes. I decided to walk home from there, which was a bit of an unnerving experience. However, I did arrive safely, albeit very sore and tired from walking all day. I showered in the public girl’s bathroom, which was clean enough, with thin curtains separating the showers from each other. When I finally lay down on the bed to read, I realized that it squawked every time I moved even a tiny bit. This set the tone for the rest of the evening; I didn’t get very much sleep, especially because I very stupidly got to thinking about the movie the Babadook (have you seen it? Don’t watch it, it’s scary). Anyways, the next morning I opted out of the complimentary hostel continental breakfast and walked over to Astro Doughnuts.

Mapple Bacon Doughnut - Astro Doughnuts.jpg

It was rainy and cold, but luckily it was a short walk. I got a maple bacon doughnut and a coffee and sat under the awning to enjoy it. The doughnut was a perfect combination of sweet and salty. It was so good. The rest of the morning was a chain of unsuccessful attempts to see one more thing before leaving. Everything was closed, not reopening until it was time for me to head to the airport or under construction until 2017 (thanks a lot Trump). So I wound up at Momfuku Milk Bar for some of their famous crack pie and yet more coffee. The pie was aptly named and so delicious. It was sweet and caramel-y and almost too rich to finish, not that I didn’t.

Soon it was time to check out from the hostel and take the blue line to DCA. It took only 30 minutes to make the trip, only to be delayed for three hours. By the time we finally boarded, there were only twenty people who waited it out. On the other side of the flight, I took a different blue line back home, happy to be home but grateful for a fantastic trip.

Thank you, DC, for a wonderful time!

Have you been to Washington, D.C.? Where was your favorite place there?

Washington, D.C. – Part 1

On February 27, 2016February 28, 2016 By rebeccawanderlustingIn solo travel, US Travel, Washington, D.C.9 Comments

I arrived at O’Hare obscenely early as per usual; I’m always early. I was afraid there would be a long line for security (there wasn’t), so I wound up sitting at a bar near my gate with a mimosa, a full hour before I was due to board.

The plane landed twenty minutes ahead of schedule and it took me forty minutes and two trains (one yellow and one red) to reach Dupont Circle. I was to walk to my hotel from there. Unfortunately, I walked to the wrong one. Who knew there were two Courtyard Marriotts within twenty minutes from each other? Once I was checked into the correct hotel, I quickly changed out of my plane clothes and headed back out. The National Geographic Museum was just around the corner from the hotel, so I figured it was a good place to start. The museums was housed in a large building emblazoned with National Geographic Society above the doors.

The entry fee was $15 and there were three main exhibits. One was The Photo Ark, which included many photos different species of animals, many of which had been endangered at some point in time. Another exhibit featured the history and lives of Crocodilians with live reptiles and interactive croc facts. The last was ocean related and included photography and videos from numerous deep sea exhibitions. The museum was very visually appealing, but I wish there was a little more to see. The exhibits were beautiful and informative though, and there was a great gift shop. From the museum, I walked back over to Dupont Circle to check out Kramerbooks & Café. They had a great selection and unique layout (plus a lot of travel books which you know I loved!). I ended up getting an Anthony Bourdain book because I couldn’t help myself. Though I could have browsed for a few more hours at least, my stomach was telling me it was time for dinner, so I headed down the brown stone lined Q Street towards Le Diplomate. This French restaurant was everything I wanted it to be.

The beautifully lit atmosphere was warm and welcoming. Despite being decidedly less fancy than the other patrons, I felt 100% at home. I ordered the Scallops Nicoise and stuck with water to cut costs, their wine list was quite expensive. A bread basket appeared soon after I placed my order, which I dug right into (the cranberry bread was delicious!). I happily read “Medium Raw” until my meal arrived and I could no longer concentrate on anything other than the scallops. They sat atop a bed of orzo, tomatoes, onions and peas, with a pesto sauce underneath. It was a lemony and salty and the scallops were perfectly cooked. I loved it so much. When the waiter came back, I could only nod in blissful silence as he removed my now empty plate from the table. After I had paid and left, I walked around the area for a while, taking in the pretty houses and cheerful restaurants.

Eventually I wandered back to Kramerbooks, this time to try the café. I ordered a glass of wine and a slice of apple crumble pie, which they served with 2 spoons, making me miss Mike instantly. The pie was good and I enjoyed it on their covered porch. Once I was
thoroughly stuffed with pie, I walked back to the hotel. I was feeling a little melancholy on my first night in this new city, so I felt the best way to remedy this was a bubble bath and to make big plans for the next day. I started early, leaving the hotel at 8:30am and hopped on the blue line towards the Eastern Market. When I arrived, the market wasn’t quite bustling enough yet, so I grabbed an iced latte from Pelegrine Coffee and walked around the neighborhood. Fortunately, I ran into the Capitol Hill location of Ted’s Bulletin, a restaurant I really wanted to try. One may be a loneliest number, but it is certainly a convenient one when trying to be sat at a popular breakfast restaurant on a Sunday Morning. At my tiny table for one, I ordered coffee, bacon, hash browns and a salted caramel (homemade) pop tart, on the waiter’s recommendation. The “Ted Tarts” are what drew me to the restaurant in the first place, so I was very excited to try it. The bacon and hash browns were pretty run of the mill, but the ted tart was amazing. The outside was flakey and delicious and the filling was rich and caramel-y. It went with the coffee perfectly and I relished every bit.

After I finished, I walked back to the market, which was a little livelier at that point. I love rummaging, so the flea market portion was exactly what I wanted it to be. There were knickknacks, art, antiques, clothing, and food stalls both inside and outside. Inside the market building, there were butchers, fruit stands, bakeries, and fresh flowers. Locals and tourists alike were doing their grocery shopping and haggling over steaks and dozens of baked goods.

Capitol Hill Books stood next to the market and I was drawn inside by its front window, which was literally stacked with books. The inside of the shop was no different. The shelves were chock-full of books, stacked every which way, but somehow still organized. It was two levels of systematic chaos with nooks for reading and a great used book selection. I was particularly drawn to their Graham Greene selection, which required patience and a balancing act to get through.

I was only a twenty minute walk from the National Mall and the Smithsonian Museums, so I headed that way. The first thing I came upon (that was open on a Sunday) was the U.S. Botanical Gardens, so I went in. One of the best things about D.C. is that all of the Smithsonian Museums and Galleries and all of the Monuments are free. The Botanical Gardens was no exception. The gardens were split into categories, my favorites were the orchids and the desert plants. It really is a gorgeous place to walk around.

As soon as I started to head towards the Mall, it started pouring. Luckily, I was very near to the National Gallery, which is where I sought shelter from the rain. What a beautiful place to spend a rainy afternoon! I’m no art buff, but I thoroughly enjoyed exploring the galleries. Needless to say, the artwork was breathtaking and the building itself was gorgeous. I especially loved the Van Gogh paintings, as well as this painting by Hendrik Willem Mesdag:

One of the museum guides pointed me in the direction of sculpture garden, so that is where I headed next. It was a fun walk through, with a cute café and ice rink at the center. I made my way through, stopping to take in each sculpture. Once I came to the end, I walked down the street to the Museum of Natural History and the Museum of American History. One of the benefits of free museum admissions is that you can pick and choose which exhibits you see without feeling like you have to see every single one because you didn’t pay for them. At the Museum of Natural History, I very much enjoyed the dinosaur exhibit and the “Wilderness Forever” photography exhibit that showed many of the National Parks. At the American History Museum, many of the exhibits were closed for renovations unfortunately. However, I did love the First Lady exhibition, which featured fashions and facts about the nation’s great women. The National Mall is just beyond the Smithsonian Museums, so I kept walking towards the Washington Monument.

From the top of the hill where it sits, I took in the city sights, and got my first glimpse of the Lincoln Memorial. However, by the time I made it over there (it’s a deceptively far walk) I was hungry and getting crabby. I had been walking for hours at this point, which really is the best way to see a city, but also builds up an appetite. There were no
restaurants to be seen, so I settled for a hot dog from one of the nearby refreshment stands. After I stuffed my face, I climbed the marble steps to see Abe. The upside of travelling to D.C. in the slow season is there aren’t as many tourists, however the downside, for me at least, was that a lot of things were under construction to be ready for the summer. For example, the reflecting pool was drained, the World War II Monument was under construction, some of the exhibits were roped off, the list goes on. Luckily, I had seen some of these attractions the first time I was in D.C. in 8^th grade, when our teachers dragged us to every single memorial and monument, our disposable cameras in hand. This time around, I was taking pictures with my iPhone, having strangers get a few shots with me in them. The Lincoln Memorial was humbling and inspiring. I walked around the top, taking in the view from all angles. This was one of the things I really didn’t want to miss, so I’m glad I was able to see Mr. Lincoln.

The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial and FDR Memorial were just a little ways away, so that’s where I headed next. The MLK Jr. Memorial was simple but moving, including only a statue carved in stone and a single quote on the side: “Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope.”

I moved on down the path to the FDR Memorial, which was recommended to me by Rebecca of Curiosity and a Carry On. It was one of my favorites of the day, being less crowded and peaceful. There were quotes and statues throughout the memorial, including a statue of Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt (the only one dedicated to a first lady). Unfortunately the supposedly beautiful fountains were turned off for the season, but I still very much enjoyed wandering through the memorial. My favorite FDR quote was: “In these days of difficulty, we Americans everywhere must and shall choose the path of social justice… the path of faith, the path of hope, and the path of love towards our fellow man.”

I walked back to the hotel from there, passing the gorgeous Eisenhower Executive Office Building, as well as the White House. It is awe-inspiring to walk through this city of such regal architecture. Everywhere I turned there was a gorgeous building with columns and flags, or a stately statue depicting men on horses or famous generals. It made each walk an adventure in itself.

Once I got back to the hotel, I showered and rested up for a night out in Adams Morgan, which was described to me as a hip, up and coming area. My first stop was Smash Records, a punk record store, where I bought Mike a Bad Brains (a famous DC punk band) Album and browsed their small selection of soul records.

From there, I moved over to Idle Time Bookstore. This dual level used books store has a great selection of used books and gifts and a friendly staff. I browsed through their shelves for a while before rushing off to catch the happy hour specials at Mandu. Mandu is a Korean restaurant, and they have happy hour 7 days a week from 4pm-7pm that offers half priced beer, wine, sojutinis and mandu dumplings. I ordered an assortment of the dumplings, 2 each of pork, shrimp and vegetable. They were pan-fried and so scrumptious. My entrée was chap chae, potato noodles with vegetables and beef. It came with a mound of something interesting on top, and when I asked the waiter, he confirmed my worst fears: eggs. I calmly scraped them to the side and dug into the delicious noodle dish, which was served with traditional Korean condiments. It was a pretty cheap dinner, thanks to the happy hour, so I decided to take myself out to a jazz bar I spotted back in Adams Morgan, called Columbia Station. At first, the bar was a little empty. The band, The Peter Edelman Trio, was on a break, but the bartender assured me they’d be playing until 1am.

I ordered a glass of wine, and he poured it up to the brim, which is precisely how I like it. It was quiet before the band started playing again, and I could hear the chef watching TV in the kitchen. Eventually though, once the music started, people filed in and the tables filled up. The Peter Edelman Trio are at Columbia Station weekly and I completely understand how they earned this regular gig.

They were fun and talented and what started out as a drums, saxophone and organ trio slowly morphed into a piano, drums, saxophone, clarinet and bass as the evening went on. New instruments magically appeared as the bar grew more crowded. Fast forward three glasses of wine and I’m making new friends at the bar and grooving to the music. I left there happy and tipsy, walking back down 18^th street, jazz riffs echoing in my brain.

D.C. Packing List

On February 19, 2016February 19, 2016 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Travel Tips, Travel Writing, Trip Planning, US Travel3 Comments

By this time tomorrow, I will be stepping off the plane in beautiful Washington, D.C.! I am so excited for this trip I can barely contain myself. The only downfall is that the weather will be only slightly warmer than it is here in Chicago. But! There is a silver lining: packing will be a cinch since it’s all the same clothes that have been in rotation all winter. I will admit that I bought a couple of key items for this trip, but who doesn’t like a new outfit for an upcoming vacation?? I have a tendency to over-pack, and then forget key items. Like the time I forgot a hair brush when I went to Asheville, and instead of buying one like a normal person, I just used my fingers and put my hair up every day. Anyways, this time around I’m trying to be very organized and sticking to the basics. So, without further ado, below is my complete packing list for my four day trip to D.C.:

Toiletries: