Big City Girl

For those of you who know me or follow my blog, you know that I live in Houston, the fourth largest city in the USA and home to over 2 million people just in the city limits. I am without a doubt a big city girl, preferring large cities for both home and travel. Thanks to my husband for commenting on my lack of blog posts lately, I've decided to dedicate this next post to my love of these massive metropolises by sharing with you my top 4.

Rural regions and sleepy towns certainly have their own appeal, but I am never able to spend more than a few days without getting bored. A day on the beach or hiking nature trails is great, but 5 days with nothing but beach or pretty scenery? That is a bit much for me. I'd rather have a plethora of activities to keep me entertained. These 4 cities are some of my favorites to visit for long periods of time:

1. Barcelona: I have already spent an entire blog post telling you just why you should spend a while in Barcelona. The museums, architecture, and restaurants themselves are enough to keep a traveler mesmerized for weeks at a time. With the bonus of a beautiful Mediterranean beach to relax at after a full day of site-seeing, this city is my very favorite travel destination. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. New York City: I did not make it to this incredibly exciting city until my last year of college, having already explored many parts of Europe during my study abroad experience. I don't doubt I would have been really overwhelmed by the massive amount of people and buildings in such a small area had I not already explored cities like London and Rome. Nevertheless, New York has been one of my favorite US destinations. My husband and I never run out out of reasons to visit; we have probably been once a year for the past 4 years, even though we still have so many other places to see. NYC is a great place to go back to, because even if you run out of the traditional touristy hot-spots, the city has an abundance of neighborhoods and activities to discover. The restaurant scene itself is super dynamic, with each visit bringing many new delicious findings. Not only are the revivals an exciting look back in time, but new Broadway shows are always surprising me with different ideas and musical styles. Also, it is impossible to go to New York without stumbling on some type of neighborhood street festival or parade. For example, last year we went for my birthday, which happens to fall on Bastille Day (France's national independence day), and while walking around Brooklyn we happened upon a street fest and bocce ball tournament, complete with French wines and spirits. Each time visiting this magical city showcases something new, so I keep coming back for more! 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
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5. Florence: OK, so Florence is much smaller than the other cities on this list, but being the capital of the Italian region Tuscany, it is still very much a large city in my mind. I loved loved loved Tuscany. The beautiful rolling hills, fantastic vineyards, and small dusty towns will always have wonderful memories for me, and staying in Florence was truly a great experience. Florence itself has so many incredible sites, from the giant Duomo to magnificent artwork and incredible shopping. But Florence also makes a great base for exploring the beautiful region around it. Siena is lovely to visit and photograph, but Florence is where all the action happens! 
   
   
   
   
6. London: This was my first stop upon flying to England for my semester studying abroad. I am not going to lie, London was very overwhelming at first. However, being a travel newbie, that is not too unexpected. London is a fast-paced, compact city with so much to do and see in every direction. Within a couple of days, London completely stole my heart! London is a wonderful mix of history and modern life. Obviously, I am a museum freak, and London has some of the best museums I've visited in the world. Also, sites such as Big Ben and the Tower Bridge on the Thames made my heart race. Seeing such iconic places in person never gets tiring! I love London so much, that even though I have been there several times, I am going back this fall! With flight prices so cheap from Ireland to England, I could not resist tacking a few days to my vacation to visit this lovely city. 
   
   
   
   

Hopefully I didn't offend any small town enthusiasts out there with my love letter to big cities, but these 4 destinations have been my very favorite vacation spots. I cannot wait to explore even more of the world's great cities in the future! Having only been to 2 continents so far, I sure have a lot more of the world to see. 

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas in Houston

With Thanksgiving just around the corner (as in next week, eep!), I am starting to see Christmas lights and decorations in all the shopping areas and Christmas trees at the grocery store. With that in mind, I decided to share some fun Houston area activities to get in the holiday spirit!

1. Magical Winter Lights: This first event is new to Houston, and I am super excited about it!  From what I've read, this Chinese lantern festival is going to be huge with amazing reproductions of different places around the world made from lights. Watch out Austin, we might make your Zilker Park Trail of Lights look puny! 
• Dates: November 20th- January 10th
• Operating Hours: Monday-Thursday 5-10pm, Friday-Saturday 1-11pm, Sunday 1-10pm
• Location: Sam Houston Race Park, 7575 North Sam Houston West, Houston, TX 77064
• Ticket prices: Adults $27, Children (4-12) $16, Children under 4 free
• Parking: $10 cash only 
• Website: http://www.magicalwinterlights.com/  
  
2. Zoo Lights at the Houston Zoo: This is a great event to take the kiddos. Just be warned: be prepared for some insane crowds! 
• Dates: November 20- January 9th
• Operating Hours & Ticket Prices:
 

• Website: http://www.houstonzoo.org/zoolights/ 
  
  


3. Texas Renaissance Festival Celtic Christmas Weekend: I've been going to the Texas Renaissance Festival since I was a kid- it is definitely fun for all ages. The last weekend's theme is a Celtic Christmas, which is sure to get you into the holiday spirit!
• Dates: November 27, 28, 29th
• Tickets: $26 straight from the festival, but you can buy discount tickets from Walgreens
• Website: http://www.texrenfest.com/#celtic_christmas
   
  
   
4. Dickens on the Strand: This is my very favorite Christmas festival near Houston which happens every year the first weekend of December. The Strand in Galveston becomes transported to Victorian times, and holiday cheer can be found in every corner. There's even a snow area for the kiddos to play in! 
• Dates: December 4, 5, and 6th
• Tickets: $15 for adults and $9 for children purchased at the door. You can get a discount if you purchase early online or wear your Victorian attire.
• Website: http://www.galvestonhistory.org/events/dickens-on-the-strand/dickens-on-the-strand 

  

  My dad and I at Dickens on the Strand last year

  
  
  
5. Tomball German Christmas Market & Festival: Lastly, this festival came into my radar when I was browsing around travel blogs looking for cool German style Christmas markets. Remember my post on Leavenworth, the town in Washington resembling a Bavarian village? In any case, I came across a German Christmas Market not to far from home, just north in Tomball! I can't wait to check in out this year.
• Dates: December 11th-13th
• Operating Hours: Friday 6-10pm, Saturday 10am-10pm, Sunday 10am-6pm
• Tickets: Free admission and parking!!!
• Website: http://www.tomballgermanfest.org/christmas-market/ 
  

ATX Food Scene

Hey guys! 

Last weekend I went to the ACL music festival in Austin and had a grand 'ol time! I graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 2011, and oh man has the food scene changed! Just driving down South Lamar or the area east of downtown , there are so many new cool places popping up everywhere. I thought I'd use this blog post to share some of my favorite classic Austin haunts as well as a few newer discoveries. 

Favorite Classic Austin

• Kerbey Lane: Part of visiting UT-Austin must include a trip to this 24 hour diner with their famous queso and gingerbread pancakes! Their queso comes loaded with guacamole and pico de gallo, and their pancakes are huge and fluffy. It is a perfect late night meal! (Or breakfast, or lunch, or whenever). Also, even though Kerbey Lane has a few different locations, nothing beats the atmosphere and people watching of the campus location.
• Trudy's: This wonderful Tex-Mex restaurant has a long of great options, but my favorites have always been the enchiladas, stuffed avocados (that are fried and stuffed with a cheesy chicken concoction), flaquities, and the pollo alla plancha. Beware if you aren't into spice! And of course a trip to Trudy's wouldn't be complete without ordering their infamous Mexican Martini. This year, Trudy's even came to ACL and became my favorite food choice at the festival! 
  
  
  
• Tacodeli: My very favorite place to get tacos in Austin. Their menu has so many options, I have yet to try even half! My favorites are the Jess Special with chorizo for breakfast and the cowboy taco for lunch. If you are not afraid of spice, grab some Dona sauce to go on top. Tacodeli, please open on in Houston ASAP! 
  
• Homeslice: A great place for pizza in a super fun part of town. South Congress is such a fun street with really eclectic shops. Homeslice fits in perfectly with its hipster atmosphere and delicious pizza!
• Hopdoddy's: Another popular restaurant on South Congress, this place always has a line for a reason! Their burgers are huge and delicious, as are their milkshakes.
• Moonshine Grill: The best brunch in town, IMHO. Their brunch buffet has the usual breakfast options with super homey southern classics. Don't leave without a plate of the cornflake crusted chicken tenders loaded with cream gravy and their delicious green chile grits!
• Amy's Ice cream: only 2 words necessary: Mexican Vanilla!
• Pluckers: Started by a couple of UT students, this restaurant is the best place to go watch a game and eat delicious wings! They have a huge variety of sauces and rubs, which makes it a win for everyone.
• The Salt Lick: A short drive out of town, this well-known bbq joint has a wonderful atmosphere and scrumptious barbeque! 

New Discoveries:

• Swift's Attic: We came here for brunch before ACL on Sunday, and boy am I glad we did. $1 mimosas and delicious food! Check out their version of poutine I tried as well as their deliciously juicy burger on Texas Toast! 
  
  
• Black Sheep Lodge: More of a bar than a restaurant, their food was surprisingly delicious! Definitely try the fried cheese curds and the carnitas sandwich.There is a super fun atmosphere to hang out with a group of friends, and they had really great drink specials every day of the week.
• Rainey Street: A street with super cute bungalows transferred into bars, yummy good truck parks, and hip new restaurants, you really can't go wrong wherever you try! Start with Bar96 and hop your way down the street if you are feeling like bar-hopping. Otherwise wait for a seat at Banger's and order a flight of beers and a yummy sausage made in-house.
• Jester King Brewery: A short drive west of town, this brewery has a ton of craft beer and wine options to try. Sharing its beautiful hill country location with a pizza joint (Stanley's Farmhouse Pizza), the best way to fully appreciate the space is to order a  barbeque brisket pizza, grab a beer, and enjoy the gorgeous view! 
• La Barbecue: With less of a wait than the hugely popular Franklin's, this small bbq trailer makes a serious impression with its delicious smoked meats, hill country style.

I have so much to discover, as Austin is always changing and evolving. Where are your favorite places to eat and hang out in Austin? 

Oh, and in honor of our glorious win this weekend, HOOK 'EM, HORNS!!

How to be a tourist in Las Vegas

A few years ago after receiving our first paychecks from our big-girl jobs after college, a couple of work friends and I decided to head to Las Vegas to celebrate! We are not gamblers, so we decided to be tourists during the day and hit the clubs at night. Las Vegas is just as vibrant by day as by night, just in a different way. With all the different themed casinos, luxury everywhere you look, and scents of gourmet food wafting out of every corner, Las Vegas is the perfect place to play tourist!

Here are my top 10 touristy things to do in the Entertainment Capital of the World!

1. Take a ride on the New York, New York roller coaster 
   
   
   
   
   
2. Grab a crepe and check out the City of Lights from up on top of the Eiffel Tower at Paris Las Vegas
   
   
3. Be serenaded on a gondola ride at the Venetian 
   
4. Take a picture at a slot machine: even if you aren't going to gamble, the picture is a Sin City requirement!
   
5. Eat at a buffet. Be cautious though, not all buffets are equal. We had a pretty bad experience at one which I will not name, but loved our other experiences. The Bellagio is a classic, and the Wicked Spoon in the Cosmopolitan is a must visit! 

   

   http://www.cosmopolitanlasvegas.com/taste/restaurant-collection/wicked-spoon.aspx

6. Play bingo at the Palace Station Casino and celebrate your winnings with amazing food at the Oyster Bar. This casino might look a little run down and be off the beaten path, but the spicy pan roast at the Oyster Bar was one of my favorite meals on the trip, and it has one of the best bingo halls in town! Be sure to bring your own bingo marker and settle in for a good time! 
   
   
   
7. Take a picture with an impersonator. Look, MJ's alive! 
   
8. Check out a free show: the Bellagio fountain is not to be missed, and the Pirate Show at Treasure Island is a jolly good time!

   

   https://www.bellagio.com/attractions/fountains-of-bellagio.aspx

    
9. Splurge and see a ticketed show! We went both directions and saw the naughty Chippendales and an exceptional Cirque du Soleil show. Check out a Tix4Tonight booth for show deals, or book ahead for the more popular shows 

   

   https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/las-vegas

   
10. And lastly, put on your party clothes and dance the night away! You are in Las Vegas, after all

Shout out to my two favorite Vegas travel partners, Chandy and Jessica!

Boston Trip Part 2: Cambridge

As I've already mentioned, for labor day weekend my husband and I went to Boston! We had a great first day exploring the different areas in town and following the Freedom Trail. For our second day, we stayed in Cambridge to explore Harvard and MIT.

We stayed at the Sheraton Commander Hotel. It was a great choice! Not only was it a lot less expensive than most hotels of the same star value in downtown Boston, but it was right next to Harvard campus and a few blocks away from the T.

Sheraton Commander Hotel

One thing to note about visiting Harvard and MIT is that the official campus tours only occur on weekdays. Sure there are plenty of tours not actually affiliated with the universities, but those cost money. In any case, I like going at my own pace, so I went to the university websites, checked out their virtual tours, and made my own walking tour. Just call me Tour Guide Alexa!

 The good thing about having a self-guided walking tour is that you have no time constraints! We decided to start our day at MIT and finish at Harvard, as the only thing on our agenda with a closing time was the MIT Museum. I found MIT really unique for a university campus, because instead of having all their buildings uniformly built and matching, they had different waves of architects come in and build with different styles. Another interesting fact about MIT buildings is they are all assigned a number, and most students refer to the buildings by their number rather than by name. Some notable MIT buildings include the following:

• Rogers Building (7): This building is the official address of MIT and the entrance to the Infinite Corridor, which is the main pedestrian path connecting east campus with west campus. Walking into the Rogers Building and following the Infinite Corridor path will take you to ...
• The Maclaurin Buildings (3, 4, 10), the Great Dome, and Killian Court: This is the classic view of MIT you see in everyone's pictures. Built in 1916, these are the oldest buildings at MIT. 
• The Great Dome was designed like the Parthenon with columns not quite in a straight line to make the lines of columns appear straight. If you are having trouble following that logic, check out this easy to follow description of the Parthenon's design. Please excuse my nerdiness, but I find this kind of thing really cool! I was a math major, so it is no surprise that I can find the fun in Geometry.

• The buildings around Killian Court are carved in large Roman letters using the latin alphabet with names of notable people including Aristotle, Newton, Franklin, Pasteur, da Vinci, etc. I didn't get any pictures of this, because there was construction being done, but it is kind of fun trying to spot all the different names hidden around.
• MIT Chapel & Kresge Auditorium (W15): these mid-century modern buildings were designed by Saarinen. 

• Stata Center (32): This building features deconstructionist architecture designed by Frank Gehry. I felt like I was in a Dr. Seuss book wandering around here! MIT students are known for their "hacks," or pranks. You can find some past hacks on the ground floor of this building. Unfortunately, the doors we tried were locked. Another cool little fact is that this building was built over former building 20 which housed the Rad Lab using during WWII!

• Lastly, my favorite part of our make-shift MIT tour was the MIT Museum (N52)! Again, feel free to call me a nerd, but this was a really fun way to spend a couple of hours in a museum different from the usual art and natural science or history museums. Exhibits I liked the best included the Holography Enthusiasts showcasing the world's largest and most comprehensive holography collection, Images of Discovery where we got to play with science to make cool photographs, Robots and Beyond (remember Kismet?!), and Gestural Engineering where we got to see and play with machines in motion AKA kinetic sculptures.  I'd highly recommend coming here for adults or children!

We concluded our afternoon with ice-cream from Toscanini's (super yum!) and made our way back to Harvard.  Tour Guide Alexa back in action!

We naturally started our self-guided walking tour in Harvard Yard. First up was the John Harvard Statue, or the "statue of three lies": 

1. John Harvard was actually only a benefactor, not the founder of Harvard.
2. Harvard was founded in 1636, not 1638.
3. No actual likeness exists of John Harvard, so who knows where they got the face for this statue.

Next up was Widener Library, the largest university library in the world! Cool, huh? Well, everyone else visiting Harvard thought so too, so this area was full of people taking pictures. 

Luckily, I am more into really old stuff, so I walked across Harvard Yard to Massachusetts Hall and took my picture there. This is the oldest surviving building at Harvard that was used as a dormitory and housed super important people like John Adams, John Hancock, and Samuel Adams! Also as a bonus, since everyone was too busy taking pictures in front of Widener Library and the statue of John Harvard, I had this building all to myself!

Some other buildings we checked out on our self-guided walking tour included the Science Center which has Mark 1 (the 1st programmable computer!), Annenberg Hall where freshmen dine, and Memorial Hall which was built to honor peers who died in the Civil War and contains the biggest collection of secular stained glass in the US. 

We ended our tour at the Maxwell Dworkin Laboratory, part of the school of engineering that was featured in the Social Network. Look familiar?

And here is where our Cambridge tour comes to a close. Naturally we checked out a few restaurants and bars in the area. Here are ones I can recommend:

• Toscanini's for ice cream near MIT: skip the famed burnt caramel and try one of their other flavor options
• Park Restaurant: a nice atmosphere with good gastropub style food and yummy cocktails. Definitely order the crab and lobster dip!
• Charlie's Kitchen: along Mt. Auburn Street where many Harvard students hang out to unwind. A little too divey and crowded for us, but it had a decent beer garden.
• Cambridge Commons: cool beer bar/pub with a huge craft beer selection

That's all for now. Thanks for tagging along on a virtual walking tour of Cambridge with me!

"One if by land, two if by sea..." Boston, MA

The problem with vacation days is that they are so limiting! Luckily long weekends come around every now and then to make a trip possible without using those precious vaca days. This labor day weekend, my husband Adam and I decided to take a long weekend trip to Boston!

"Why Boston?" you might ask.. 

1. For starters, Boston in September has amazing weather! Sunny skies with temperatures in the 60s and 70s. Such a difference from the 90s we've been dealing with down here in Houston! 
2. Secondly, Houston to Boston flights are cheap! We are lucky to live in a big city with a lot of airport hubs. This makes traveling to other big cities like Boston relatively cheap and easy. 
3. Thirdly, Adam had never been, and I had only been able to explore a little bit when I traveled there for work occasionally. It is challenging to really explore a city when you are stuck in an office building 8-5, so I was almost as much of a Boston newbie as Adam. 
4. And lastly, we were itching to get our hands (or mouths rather) on some real northeastern seafood! Lobster rolls, anyone?

The problem with taking a trip to a major city on a long weekend is trying to stuff everything there is to do into a short amount of time. Luckily, even though Boston is a large and thriving metropolis, it is pretty easy to do and see a lot in one weekend thanks to the close proximity of all the major sites and the city's walk-ability. Adam and I were able to fly into Boston Friday after work, leaving all day Saturday and Sunday to explore the historical city before having to fly back home on Monday. We opted to explore Boston on Saturday, and stay in Cambridge on Sunday to see Harvard and MIT. This blog post looks at our day in Boston

Day 1: Boston

As my husband can confirm, I love old things. Seriously, old things are so cool! So naturally, a big portion of our day focused on following the Freedom Trail.

• oldest public park: CHECK
• oldest cemetery: CHECK
• oldest commercial building: CHECK
• oldest standing church: CHECK
• oldest tavern/bar: CHECK... OK, so maybe that one wasn't actually part of the Freedom Trail, but I had to include it on our own self-guided walking tour

The Freedom Trail is a cool concept, because you can explore whichever parts are interesting to you and spend as much time at each as you'd like. Also, most of the sites were free to check out, and of course you can't forget about the exciting history involved. It is kind of amazing to think you are walking along the same streets and entering the same buildings as our founding fathers. History is very much alive in the North End of Boston. I was able to see the meeting house where the Sons of Libery met to plan the Boston Tea Party, the hall which hosted America's first town hall meeting where early Americans protested the Sugar and Stamp Acts, and the state house where the Declaration of Independence was first read to the public. It is pretty impressive that Boston has managed to maintain all of these important historical sites, while having a thriving and modern downtown with skyscrapers shooting up all around. More information about the Freedom Trail can be found at their website: http://www.thefreedomtrail.org/freedom-trail/official-sites.shtml

Freedom Trail

Besides the Freedom Trail, other notable sites and areas we explored included the following:

• the Beacon Hill neighborhood: perfect for strolling and soaking in the atmosphere of the red brick buildings and small independent stores
• Newbury Street for shopping
• Fenway Park Bleacher bar during the Red Sox game: no need to buy a ticket to catch some of the game, as this bar is built into Fenway Park, and you can see right into the game!
• Boston Public Library
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And let's not forget about the food!

• Neptune Oyster Bar: arguably the best lobster roll in the city, and I can confirm that it is indeed tasty and worth the wait! Tip: put your name and number in early, then hang around the area until you get a call. When we went, we were told there would be around an hour and a half wait. By the time we were seated, people showing up were told there would be a 5 hour wait. Luckily, there is a lot to see and do within a 15 minute walking radius. The Bell in Hand tavern is pretty close, so we chose to hang out there with a couple of pints to feel closer to our founding fathers in the "oldest tavern in America!" Little Italy is also nearby, as is Quincy Marketplace if you feel like doing some shopping.

• Little Italy for cannoli: We chose to go to Maria's, which I had read has the best most authentic and fresh cannoli without the wait of other bakeries nearby. It was indeed delicious!

• The Bell in Hand: as I mentioned, this "oldest tavern in America" was a great spot to grab a few beers. I was pleasantly surprised at their beer selection, and also that they had a really delicious clam chowder full of cream, potatoes, and yummy bacon!

• Harpoon Brewery: This was a super fun way to spend a Saturday night, as the brewery is open until 11pm. They had a huge selection of beers to try, so Adam and I opted to try a couple of beer flights. Also, their homemade pretzels were absolutely delicious!

• Drink: We didn't actually eat here, but their cocktails were sooo good! The concept is that you tell the bartender what kind of cocktail you feel like, and they will whip you up something yummy. Adam and I enjoyed all of the cocktails we tried!

Get Me Out of this Heat and Humidity!- Leavenworth, WA

I live in Houston where it is hot and humid for a majority of the year. Don’t get me wrong, I love this city and will argue with anyone who tries to classify it as less than great. However, I won’t dispute any unfavorable remarks on our weather. This week, a cold front incredibly made its way here.  Just for reference, this “cold front” gave us 80 degree temperatures and lowered our humidity to a pleasant 40%. 40% humidity!!! Houston summers are renowned for their blistering heat and sweltering humidity. To have a week in August without the usual 90% humidity is pretty close to miraculous. This weather has been a tease reminding me of crisp fall days leading into colder winter snows (what’s snow again?)…This of course steered my mind to imagine magical German Christmas markets covered in lights and blanketed in snow. A little bit of googling materialized pictures of beautiful Christmas markets in Germany, other lovely European cities, and one small town in my own country:

Leavenworth, WA.

This entire town, nestled in beautiful Washington mountain ranges, is modeled on a Bavarian village.

OMG.

• Beautiful snow-covered mountains? CHECK
• Cobblestone streets in a storybook village? CHECK
• Lederhosen? CHECK
• Oktoberfest?  CHECK
• A traditional German Christmas market? CHECK
• Horse pulled sleigh-rides? CHECK

All can be experienced without even taking a passport! Count me in!

©icicletv.com

Check it out here: http://www.leavenworth.org/