Travel Tuesday- Back to Disney

When I was in fourth grade, my grandfather piled my whole family in his car and headed south... eighteen hours south to Orlando. Thus began my first trip to Disney.

All I remember from that first trip was being too short to ride half of the things I wanted to ride, and the line for It's a Small World being like ONE BILLION people long. So in June, when a friend suggested an outing to Disney following a work trip to Orlando, I begrudgingly agreed.

And I am glad I did.

Now, compared to my trip last year to Universal Studios, I must admit that I left strongly feeling that Disney is a park for kids. Other than Space Mountain (which was awesome), the rides aren't so much rides as they are "tours" of Disney venues. The lines are long, and it is hot and crowded, but...

...despite the averse facts of the trip, Disney is Disney. There is still something magical and electric in the air. Even though more than 2/3 of my VERY expensive, brief afternoon there was spent waiting in line for tours, I had a blast.

I'm not sure I will go back before I have a 6-10 year old child that can truly appreciate the magic, but I did leave wanting to visit Epcot... and with a HUGE smile on my face.

Travel Tuesday- Pipestone, MN

Normally, my travel experiences are major cities-- since I travel for business, that is where the business usually is. However, this summer I had a unique, and as it turns out, wonderful opportunity to visit Pipestone, Minnesota.

My fiance's family is from a small town an hour or so away, and so while visiting, we decided to pay a nod to my Native American heritage and go to the Pipestone National Monument. A small park full of great information about the Native people of the region, we took a one hour walk and lots of pictures. Aside from about a billion bug bites, the trip was gorgeous and well worth the stop.

Aside from the monument, the city of Pipestone was also a great suprise to me. With a population of about 5,000, it is about 1/20 of the size of the cities I usually visit and yet we never ran out of stuff to do. Granted, we were only there a few days, but the downtown area is lined with great antique and thrift stores to explore. Dars Pizza will never best Joe Squared for me, but they serve up one heck of a slice.

And then, there is the pie. Langes, which looks like Any-Diner, USA from the outside... well, and the inside honestly, changed my perception of pie. It's a must-eat, for sure!

So if you're ever in southwestern Minnesota, stop by Pipestone. You won't be sorry.

Travel Tuesday- Heading to Oz

OK, I am totally cheating, but I just have to share a fantastic experience I had recently.

About a year ago, a friend of mine encouraged (cajoled) me into finally reading Wicked, which I instantly and thoroughly loved. So when tickets for the musical went on sale at the Hippodrome in Baltimore, I pounced on it and took my sister for her birthday.

I love theater. I've actually been joking with my man a lot lately about how I am heading down a dangerous path of becoming a very broke theater snob, as my list of "to sees" starts to outnumber my free weekends and free funds. Wicked only furtherered this.

Now, for those of you who have read the book, I have to warn you that the two are night and day. They share a premise, but have about as much right to share the same name as Emma and Clueless would. And really, that is a great metaphor. Like Emma, Wicked is fantastic literature, and like Clueless, the musical version takes something of a heavy concept and makes it accessible and fun.

Fun is very much the operative word. From outstanding sets to the amazing talent of the performers and costumes that stole the show, Wicked is fun. I left the theater feeling that I really had just returned from my trip to Oz.

If it comes your way, I recommend giving it a try. You could end up with a big smile like these too goofballs (me and my sister). 

Travel Tuesday- The Wonders of Seattle

I think Seattle is perhaps one of the most misunderstood cities in the U.S. Since my last trip there (and I have been many, many times), I've been polling people to get their impressions. What I get: Seattle is a rainy haven for hippies and grunge musicians. Oh yeah, and they have good seafood.

Well, I am not going to deny that Seattle has its fair share of those who love granola, eat organic, and go to poetry slams. They are peaceful and calm, unless you put a recyclable in the trash can. But there is so much more to this city.

Seattle has a thriving business community, an amazing arts movement, and an undercurrent of the shared history of its very diverse population.I go to Pike Place Market every time I am in Seattle-- there is a bakery there that has the most amazing Apple Firtters I have ever tasted. I love looking at the flowers, and watching the people who work there. Something always strikes me: the loving, longing looks towards the Sound.

I've been to amazingly beautiful places, and seen so many locals immune to the awesomeness that surrounds them (Salt Lake City in particular struck me with this phenomenon). This is not Seattle though-- one of the most beautiful cities in the country, and its residents know and love it.

So I will forgive that hippie his dirty look if I didn't know my half eaten fritter went into the Compost bin and not Trash. If I lived in Seattle, I would be rabid about keeping it clean as well.

Travel Tuesday- Portland OR, one of my favs

My travel schedule for the next six weeks is overwhelming, but despite that, when a good opportunity arose in Portland, Oregon, I jumped at the chance to go. Why? Because Portland, Oregon is pretty amazing.

You really can't describe Portland unless you've been to Portland. It's laid back and very "organic," while having the food and entertainment options of a major metropolis. I mean, despite its small town aura, you know you're somewhere with a pretty eclectic population when the food truck menus include foie gras and escargot, right?

The best things about Portland, though, are the wine and the books. I love pacific coast wines, mostly for taste, but also (to show my wine ignorance) the cool names and fun labels. And smack dab in the heart of Portland is Powell's World of Books. It is one city block of bookstore, with new books, used books, and a ton of bizarre and awesome book themed gifts. I spent more money there than I am comfortable discussing, but I had so much fun doing it.

Portland is in the list of my top 5 cities to visit, and may actually be #2. It is the first place I would pick if I had to relocate and pick a brand new city. If you haven't been, you are missing out!

Travel Tuesday-- The Bar I Now Have to Travel To

I am currently in one of my favorite cities and definitely my favorite state to travel to... Portland, Oregon. So while I snap some pictures to focus on next week, I thought I would focus on one of my favorite places around home: Joe Squared.

Joe's is a pizza, music, arts, awesome food, amazing liquor selection bar in Baltimore. There are two locations, one in the Station North Arts District, and one in the Inner Harbor. And in either location, you will get amazing food.

Since I went to college with the Joe for whom the restaurant is named. Thus, the Station North location has become the defacto celebration, meeting, eating, and hanging out place. As you can see from these photos, we've had many a great night on the patio at Joe's.

But it isn't just loyalty to our friend that brings us there over and over... it is the food! I'm currently a big fan of the vegan pizza (I'm not vegan, but the roasted eggplant is hard to resist), but the Chicken, corn, and apple pizza will rock your world. There are risottos, and their awesomeness cannot be accurately described using the English Language. Oh,and chocolate walnut chicken wings... don't get me started!

If you are ever in Baltimore, it is a must go place!

Travel Tuesdays-- Mounting the Rocky Steps

I'm not sure if it is real, or just something I've imagined, but there seems to be a bit of rivalry between Baltimore and Philadelphia. It would certainly make sense if such a rivalry existed-- separated by less than 80 miles, the two cities share a similar vibe, a similar love of food, a similar rich history, and, admittedly, a similar layer of grime over the beautiful city scape.

I've always decidedly known where I fall on the Crab Cakes vs. Cheese-steak debate, preparing the back-alley-Poe-death type of history to the pristine the-Consistituion-was-written-here variety, but recently found a new face on Philly. I am there at least four or five times a year for work, but often saw only the walk from the train station to the office. A few weeks back, my boss sponsored a team building event in the form of a city night lights tour, and guess what, Philadelphia is awesome.

On the night life tour, I learned about former speakeasies, the city's superstitions around William Penn, that M. Night Shamalyan growing up with such creepy thoughts might have have been impacted by his proximity to one eerie abandoned prison, and that lots of night life happens outside of South Street.

My loyalty is intact-- if you get to spend two days on the east coast, I vote Baltimore first, DC second, but if you have a third day, trek up to Philly. It's more than just cheese-steaks, as this night view from the Rocky Steps (also known as the Art Museum) proves.

Travel Tuesday-- Full Circle in MD

This isn't exactly a tale of exciting travel, but perhaps an every man tale nonetheless.

Moving. Sucks. And I seem to do it all the time!This picture is of the moving van I rented and was taken when I had to stop A MILE away from returning it because of a blow out.

This was taken last week as I relocated from my beloved city to the same small town where I grew up. Now, it isn't quite as small as it was 20+ years ago (wow did typing that make me feel older), but the trademark ice cream stand still will sprinkly chocolate jimmies over my mixed cone on the corner.

OK, OK, this "small town" is 45 minutes outside of DC and 60 minutes from my Baltimore. Here is the interesting phenomenon though:

I travel a lot, but most of my travel is, not surprising, into cities or very busy resorts outside of cities. In the last twelve months, I have been to Las Vegas five times, Philadelphia five or six times, NYC, New Orleans, Chicago, Phoenix, and on and on. I get hotel rooms, and I sleep like a baby listening to the lull of the city around me. I look for hotels that are in the thick of things, and will often pass over an option if it promises to be quiet.

This move has proven to me that I am, unquestionably, a city girl. I've got nothing against the suburbs-- I won't go into the irony of getting towed and having a (likely) pothole induced blow out within two weeks of leaving a city known for towing cars and not fixing potholes. It's just that I cannot sleep here. It's too quiet. I find myself in bed, staring at the ceiling and wondering what awful things are lurking about in silence.

In Baltimore, I always knew what was lurking about outside, because I could hear it. Whatever lurked in my neighborhood did so less than ten feet from my bedroom window. And sometimes, in addition to the things that bump in the night, you would hear people laughing, or music from a nearby car, dogs barking, and yes, even rats scurrying. And those things lulled me. I love the energy in a city, of knowing that there are so many possible things that could happen, and so many of them are right within your reach.

I know I have a few followers that are city-to-suburb transplants. How do you sleep?

Travel Tuesdays-- Ohhh... Dakota where the cars sleep beside the road

I've been behind on blogging lately, and particularly on my travel posts. Ironically, this is because I've been traveling too much! But my adventures have helped me add three new states to my list (I am at 37 out of 50), and I was so excited that one of these states was South Dakota.

I often visit a lot of places with no idea of what to expect, and find very ordinary, or very extraordinary places. South Dakota was an exception. Both the boy, and the best friend have spent a great deal of time in South Dakota, and shared tales of a state full of farms and wide open spaces.

And that is exactly what I found! Gorgeous farms, super sweet people, and very bland food abounded for me in South Dakota. And while I didn't get to stay long, I enjoyed what the scenery.Oh, and truck stops with slot machines. As odd as this may sound, I have always had great gambling luck at truck stops with slot machines!

So I took this photo outside of one such truck stop, as it seemed to perfectly encapsulate my image of South Dakota.

Travel Tuesdays- There is no place like home

I've been a lot of places, seen a lot of stuff, and so I don't exactly feel like it is cheating to tout my love for my hometown on Travel Tuesday. Because:

1. It's my blog
2. I love Baltimore so much that I get to talk about it
3. It is a cool, and very under-rated town that more people should know about

And so, here are some photos of one of my many, many favorite parts of Baltimore: Patterson Park.

Patterson Park is Baltimore's version of Central Park. We have a duck pond, playgrounds, pavilions, a museum, the Pagoda, a Community Center, Ice Rink, ball fields, and tons of walking trails. And it is in the middle of the east side of the city, so it is close to lots of arts and culture!

And it is beautiful!