2014 In Review

December 30th, 2014

So yes I am still around, and still crossing things off that life list. I have absolutely loved my time away from the blog, and I am glad to still be continuing with the list.  It has been 10 years now since I started this dear old list, and I am proud to say I have accomplished a lot in those 10 years.

I made my annual trip to New Orleans, and this time I visited the Jazz Festival.  It was such a great time with some amazing bands and some great southern food. 

I made it to my 50th country and visited Ireland.  I learned how to pour the perfect pint of Guinness, kissed the Blarney Stone, visited the Cliffs of Moher, partied in Temple Bar, and walked along the Giant's Causeway. 

I then spent over a month in East Africa traveling through Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Zanzibar.  It was probably my hardest travel experience.  I camped in tents at times and even got stranded and had to be rescued when a group of hyenas and buffalos surrounded us.  I would go DAYS without a decent shower, and the amount of poverty I witnessed was just heartbreaking.   My first full day in Kenya I witnessed a man get hit by a car and die.  It was horrifying. 

I crossed the equator four times!

I also did one of the most physically difficult things I have ever done.  I went gorilla trekking in Uganda!!  It was probably one of my favorite travel experiences (and probably one of the most expensive). 

I can officially say I saw the Big Five.  That stubborn leopard made me fail my attempt to see the Big Five in 2010.  This time I finally saw it.  Granted the leopard ran away fairly quickly, but I saw it!!  I also got to witness the Great Migration in Tanzania, and during a safari in the Ngorongoro Crater we were FREEZING cold.  I often had to ask myself, "Am I in Africa or Alaska?"  Camping was not fun that evening.  BRR.

I managed to celebrate my birthday in style (as always).

Fitness has been a big part of my 2014!  I have really grown to love the outdoors.  I LOVE hiking now, and I find myself climbing any mountain I can climb whenever I get the chance.  I am still obsessed with Zumba, and I have become the favorites of many of my instructors for my enthusiasm and energy.  This year I have lost over 30 pounds, and about 90 pounds from my absolute highest weight.  

The above picture was taken on Christmas day, and I am happy and healthy.  Sure I still have a few more pounds to lose, but I am in such a better place than I was years ago.  There are enough "Before" photos on this site to see the difference. 

I am also happier because I made it a point to open my heart this year.  I dated a guy for a few months, and was very unhappy.  I lost track of who I was being with this man, and working out was my only way of feeling alive.  A few weeks after that relationship ended I met the most amazing man, and I love going into 2015 with him by my side.

2015 is going to be an amazing year.  I am starting it off with a 6 week trip through Asia, specifically Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Japan.  I will be traveling solo for the entire trip!  Me with my backpack.  I will also be traveling to New Orleans one more time for my best friends graduation, and hopefully to Costa Rica in the end of the year.  I am also hoping to squeeze in a trip to San Francisco and Sedona during the year.

The new boy owns a boat so we are already planning a few trips out to the lakes and rivers for some water fun. 

I am hoping to post more in 2015, but if I don't, at the very least expect one of these annual year-in-review posts. 

Here's to a great 2015!

The Foodie Adventures: New Orleans, Louisiana

August 29th, 2012

When I'm traveling I refuse to go to McDonald's, or just about any place that I can find back home.  Yeah, I admit, I'm a bit of a food snob, however it was no problem avoiding Maccas (Aussie slang!) in New Orleans with its abundance of restaurant choices.

My first stop was Jacques-Imo's Cafe, who claims to have "Real Nawlins Food."  They didn't have me at hello, they had me at free cornbread muffins. They were delicious, and I had no shame asking for a second helping.  For my main entree I got the stuffed pork chops which were okay, not a very Nawlins choice, but after a long day of traveling I was craving some meat!  The other white meat. The portion was huge, and a doggy bag was definitely needed.

For dessert we went to The Creole Creamery for some Ice Cream.  The restaurant had a cute diner feel, and although they had tasty traditional flavors, the winning edge came from flavor choices such as Lavender Honey, Wedding Cake & Champagne, and Thai Basil Coconut.  Cash Only!

The following day I had some beignets at Cafe Du Monde, and some jambalaya, gumbo and pralines in the French Quarter.  

During the evening it was time to feel like a princess at Commander's Palace.  Commander's is one of the more popular, and fancy schmancy restaurants in New Orleans.   No sporting my flip flops here.  I love to wine and dine, but considering that I travel a lot I do still have to watch my credit card use.  Thankfully, it was restaurant week, and for less than $40 we were able to enjoy a 3 course meal (plus a cocktail).  SCORE!!

I really enjoyed the entire experience and ambiance.  When they brought over our appetizers we were surrounded by a mob of people, they had three people each holding one plate, and a few additional people trailing behind them offering us condiments, "Hello madame, would you like some sherry with your turtle soup?"  Okay, I'll take some sherry, just because you made it sound so fancy.  I kept waiting for them to break out in song and dance to the tune "Be Our Guest" from Beauty and The Beast.  It would have been so fitting.

The Bread Pudding Soufflé topped off the evening.  Divine.

For brunch we went to Refuel, the name being so appropriate since we needed some refueling after our crazy night on Bourbon Street filled with Hurricanes and Hand Grenades.  I settled for a simple grilled sandwich with a side of grits.  My friend decided to have something a bit heavier and got the brunch special called a Hans Solo.  The description ended with, "May The Force Be With You."  Tee Hee. Geeky, I know.  The pancake was bigger than her head, and I think it was made only for Chewbacca to finish.

After pretty-fying ourselves, and washing every inch of our bodies after our little airboat ride through the swamp,  our appetites were ready for more food.  We headed to Boucherie, a tiny house turned restaurant extraordinaire.  We didn't realize how tiny the place was, so it was no surprise that we were told we needed reservations to eat inside the house.

Feeling defeated, we were quickly offered a spot on the patio. Besides battling the occasional insect now and again, we had a great meal.  The winning dish for me was the Krispy Kreme Bread Pudding.  I don't even like Krispy Kreme donuts, but it was easily the best bread pudding I've ever had!  With thousands of calories raging through my system, it was time to burn some of it off on  Frenchmen Street.

Speaking of donuts, the following day for breakfast we indulged on more sweet succulent goodies at Blue Dot Donuts.  Maple Glazed Donuts sprinkled with crispy bacon bits (way better than Voodoo Doughnuts in Portland!), and Red Velvet Donuts.  What is it about red velvet donuts that makes me smile like a 5 year old child at Disneyland? 

For lunch we were in dire need of some Po-Boy's.  Prior to going to New Orleans a friend highly recommend getting some Fried Oyster Po-Boy's.  I got just that at Freret Street Po-Boy. While eating one of the best sandwiches I've ever had, we watched the New Orleans Saints play football with a room full of locals. There is no question that Nawlin's folk LOVE their football.

The downfall of eating the Fried Oyster Po-Boy?  The huge disappointment that we have not one decent Po-boy place in San Diego.  I know, I know.  Cry Me A River.

My last dinner in New Orleans *sob sob* was at Dante's Kitchen.  Another house turned restaurant joint.  Not only do they give you free Molasses Cornbread, but the food is finger lickin' good.  I tried justifying my disgusting finger lickin' habits by ordering an appetizer called Pot Likka.  I mean, come on, the name of the dish is pretty much asking me to lick all the amazing flavors off my fingers.

For my main entree I got 'Chicken Roasted Under A Brick,' and if simply cooking chicken under a brick makes it taste that good then I am headed to Home Depot right now! Okay, maybe it involves more than just roasting it under a brick.

New Orleans food certainly did not disappoint.  I'm excited to go back in January, but this time I'll be attending a little event called Mardi Gras.  Maybe you've heard of it?

Enjoy Beignets And Jambalaya In New Orleans

New Orleans is a foodie's dream come true.  Delicious, unbelievably unhealthy, and did I already mention DELICIOUS Southern Food?

While my friend was at work I took the cable car to the French Quarter for my first culinary trip around New Orleans.  My first stop:  Cafe Du Monde.

Cafe Du Monde was established in 1862 and is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (closing only during Christmas and when Hurricanes force them to shut down).   I'm glad I don't live in New Orleans otherwise I'd be there everyday. It is located on Decatur Street in the heart of the French Quarter.

The most popular items to order at Cafe Du Monde are a cup of Cafe Au Lait, and French-Style donuts called Beignets.  "Mmmm Donuts," said my inner Homer Simpson. I took a seat in the crowded restaurant until a sweet Vietnamese woman came to take my order (most of the employees are Vietnamese).  Within five minutes I had this placed in front of me.....

The Beignets are perfectly deep fried and buried in powdered sugar.  I instantaneously got diabetes merely by looking at it.

The Verdict:  It was Disgusting.  Said NO ONE EVER!  It was sooo yummy, and I used the extra mounds of powdered sugar to sweeten my Cafe Au Lait. 

My next culinary stop was The New Orleans School of Cooking.

The New Orleans School of Cooking is a popular cooking school that offers multiple daily cooking classes focusing on Southern delights. On the menu the day of my visit was Jambalaya, Gumbo, and Pralines.  Are you salivating yet?  Do I need to wipe the drool off your bib?

Our chef for the day was Paula Deen's doppelganger.  She not only looked like Paula Deen but talked just like her too.  I'm pretty sure she too buys butter in bulk at Costco.

I ate my jambalaya so quickly that I didn't even get an opportunity to take a photo of it.  So imagine a rice dish filled with the trinity (celery, onions, and bell peppers), veggies, stock, spices, meats (chicken, sausage, seafood, or all of the above), and BAM!!

New Orleans doesn't just have Beignets and Jambalaya to offer, the whole city is filled with amazing restaurants.

I'll be kicking it up another notch and posting about some of my favorite restaurants in New Orleans soon.

Date Accomplished: September 16th, 2011

Destination Uncovered: Frenchmen Street // New Orleans, Louisiana

July 9th, 2012

Destination Uncovered is a new series of post that will highlight areas of a destination that most people may not know about, and/or has personally surprised me.  It may also highlight an entire destination that is unfamiliar to most people, but may be worth exploring.

When traveling to New Orleans I knew I had to party on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter, done, did it, and CHECK.  The following night my best friend told me that we should go to Frenchmen Street.  I knew nothing about Frenchmen Street.    She told me that most locals prefer to go to Frenchmen Street over Bourbon Street. 

We hopped into a taxi and were dropped off in the middle of Frenchmen Street.  We were immediately greeted by a 2 block stretch of small little music venues booming with live music ranging from reggae, blues music, and jazz.  It's New Orleans minus the frat party atmosphere of Bourbon Street.

Most venues do not have a cover charge, so you can hop from one spot to the next until you find some music that suits your taste, or simply just hang out on the streets and watch the street performers.....


So if you want to get away from the tourists for a bit, and want to just relax and listen to some great live music minus the boobie flashing and mardi gras beads, then definitely go to Frenchmen Street!

Ride In An Airboat Through The Swamp

I apologize in advance for the video heavy post....


When visiting my bestie in New Orleans we wanted to do something that was unique to both of us.  Manis and Pedis?  Spa Days?  Nah.  We want to do an Airboat Swamp Tour.  The airboat place was theoretically an hour away from New Orleans; except we got lost, and then horribly sang Elton John's "Tony Danza Tiny Dancer" on the way there.

We certainly aren't gonna win any best hair contest with this photo

When we arrived to the boating area we hopped on our 6-seater airboat versus the 16-seater airboat.  We paid a little extra to be able to go faster.  :)  Luckily we only had to share the boat with our driver, Captain Bibimbap (that's not his real name, but it sounded something like that), and two other tourists.  We put on some attractive ear muffs and off we went....

We went fast, but never "I'm about to fall out of my seat" fast.  I'm not going to complain about the speed because their are gators in them water, y'all.  Captain Bibimbap also played a few airboat tricks with us that got us a little drenched with swamp water.  Needless to say, this germaphobe hopped into the shower as soon as we got home!

The swamp was quite serene, with trees and moss lining the area.  Captain Bibimbap was a wealth of knowledge despite his young age (but I did wonder at times if he was just making some of the stuff up).  He could have fooled me!  I learned a lot about the trees, plants, and the animals of the swamp.....

Okay Captain B!  Enough about plants, we want to see some Gators!  We visited a few spots where Gators are often seen and found two of them, Stella and Stubbs.  I learned that Gators love marshmallows!  Alligators are top-water feeders, and their is something about the marshmallows when thrown in the water that attracts them to it.  Or maybe gators just simply have a sweet tooth like me? 


Captain Bibimbap decided to hand feed the gator, and I thought, "Well he has a doctor (my friend) and a nurse (me) on board in case something happens, but if he falls in I am NOT jumping in there!"  Thankfully he came out alive with no injuries, and the gator enjoyed her little marshmallow snack.

Then we went to my most favorite spot of the tour that I rightfully named, "The Notebook" spot.  I gotta confess, I was hoping Ryan Gosling was going to come around the corner rowing his boat with swans surrounding him like in the movie.  After no sight of Ryan we headed back and called it a day.  My friend and I thoroughly enjoyed the trip, and it was a good break from the city.

Date Accomplished:  September 17th, 2011

Party On Bourbon Street

Bourbon Street is a famous street located in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana.    My best friend told me that I should attempt to see Bourbon Street both during the day, and night, as the atmosphere varies quite a bit.  As I was walking through the French Quarter, carrying the map I printed from the internet that morning, I knew I was walking in the right direction when I started to smell a strong foul smell!  I had been warned that Bourbon Street had a permanent stench that inhabited the street.    I honestly think the reason the alcohol on Bourbon Street is so potent is to numb the nerves that control a person's sense of smell.

Buildings around the French Quarter

 Bourbon Street during the day was underwhelming.  It consisted of several men trying to get me into their bars, and clans of other men enjoying walking around with their open container alcoholic beverages in hand.   I'm a pretty tough cat when traveling solo, but it did make me a tad uncomfortable walking around Bourbon Street on my own.  I quickly made my way up and down the street before heading to explore the rest of the French Quarter.

 Day & Night on Bourbon Street

That evening my friend and I made the trek to Bourbon Street by taking the street car into the French Quarter.  As soon as we entered Bourbon Street (from Canal Street)  we were welcomed by a dueling brass band.  Now that's what I call a New Orleans welcome!  The lights, the chaos, and the large herds of highly intoxicated people reminded me of Las Vegas.  Just as I imagined Bourbon Street to be, people were throwing beads from the balconies above, and people on the street below did some naughty acts to deserve those beads. 

Our mission however was not to collect beads, it was to have Hurricanes and Hand Grenades.   After having a delicious 3 course meal at Commander's Palace my stomach was full and happy.  One of the most important lessons when consuming alcohol is to not drink on an empty stomach, so I thought I was safe.  Wrong.  We headed towards the other end of Bourbon Street and found Pat O'Briens, a bar famous for their cocktail called a Hurricane.  After one sip I thought it wasn't too overwhelmingly strong, and easily drinkable.  By the time I got halfway through my glass I got an uncontrollable urge to dance and sing.  Uh-Oh.  Those are the true signs that alcohol is pumping through my veins at a rapid pace.  After having one Hurricaine we headed out to find a Hand Grenade.  We slipped into a bar that claimed to have the strongest Hand Grenades in the world.  To me, Hand Grenades are like glorified slushies, regardless of the quantity of its alcoholic content.  One whirlwind Hurricane, and one booming Hand Grenade later I was beyond drunk.

I remember walking down the street saying, "I want to dance.  I NEED to dance!"  Thankfully, most clubs and bars on Bourbon Street have no cover fee so you can easily slip in and out each venue to your hearts content.  I heard "Sweet Child of Mine" playing so  I gravitated towards the bar and found myself jumping up and down to a horrible cover band.  The lead singer was the doppelganger of Shaun White, so I was persistently screaming, "Hey It's Shaun White!"  After making a complete fool of myself, my friend made a successful attempt to get me out of Bourbon Street before I got drunk enough to try to earn some beads.

Okay don't judge...haha I was drunk people!

Date Accomplished:  September 16th, 2011