Category Archives: Personal Interests

Exploring Fort Worth, Texas

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Recently I traveled to Fort Worth, Texas for two work assignments. For three days, I ventured about its different districts, exploring its culinary, historic, and cultural offerings. Although I’m going to leave most of what I did out – I’ll post the published articles once they’re online – here are some places to consider seeing or dining at.

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Horseshoe Hill Café
In the Stockyards National Historic District, this restaurant is all about cowboy cuisine – Texas food influenced by ethnicities and ingredients found in the state’s various regions – and serves up Western favorites. Its specialty is chicken fried steak. You can order the traditional version with peppered gravy to inventive twists like chili con carne and queso blanco or chili gravy and a fried egg. There are also other offerings like sides of red chile cheese enchiladas and a nice 16 oz. dry aged ribeye.

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Guided Tour of the Fort Worth Stockyards
Fort Worth’s history with the cattle industry began as being the last stop for cowboys and their steers en route to Kansas’ railheads around the mid-1860s through 1880s. Although the industry has changed much over time, the Stockyards are still a visual reminder of this period. One way to learn more about the Stockyards is through Stockyards Historic Walking Tours. Starting from the visitor center, a guide takes you along specific spots throughout the Stockyards and gives the backstory on these buildings. Tours happen daily. While at the Stockyards, see the twice a day Fort Worth Herd parade. At 11:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., a small set of longhorns and their handlers walk down East Exchange Avenue.

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Esperanza’s Mexican Cafe and Bakery
Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to sit down and eat here. However, I kept hearing from locals about how good this place is. So I decided to a quick run over and see what I could grab. There are two locations, but I went to its site near the Stockyards. This venue gets a lot of nods for its breakfast and lunch, but it also has a side bakery in the front featuring Mexican pastries. I grabbed what I could say a version of a jelly-filled, powder sugared donut. It was messy but tasty!

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National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame
Based in Fort Worth’s Cultural District, this museum is unique in that it solely is about cowgirls and pioneering women who promote Western heritage on many different levels. And it pays tribute to them. Some of them are known, while some might be surprises. On the lower level, there are a number of displays dedicated to Annie Oakley. A holographic Annie speaks about her days as a gunslinger, and her clothes and other items are on view. Upstairs, the hall of fame features photos of various American women of the West.

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Dine out on Near Southside’s West Magnolia Street
This section in Near Southside is a place to go for dinner or after drinks. Coffee shops, cocktail bars, and restaurants are lined along here. One night, I just walked up and down this street, and going into places that looked appealing. Desserts will always get my attention, so I went inside Stir Crazy Baked Goods, a cozy bakery along this district. Inside, there are cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and muffins in different flavors good sizes, but with prices that are easy on the wallet. Another venue that was recommended to me for more of a meal was The Bearded Lady. It has more of a pub atmosphere, with a full board of craft beers (including Texas suds). Apps are interesting like fried cactus strips, fried leek rings, and whole fried okra. Sandwiches and burgers have their say on the menu. There’s a fancy grilled cheese selection and a Build Your Own Damn ½ Lb Burger (I opted for the former; it was good.).

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Acre Distillery LLC
A recent newcomer to Fort Worth’s Downtown area, this venue is a combination of an espresso bar and distillery. In the morning hours, this place serves up caffeinated brews and light breakfast orders, particularly to nearby Texas A & M students. At night, the scene changes to more of a cocktail environment featuring in-house made gin, vodka, and two types of bourbon. These distilled spirits also get mixed up as cocktails paired with flavored moonshine infusions such as a cinnamon and can be served alongside charcuterie boards.

What 2015 Taught Me About Travel

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Photo credit: Whatleydude via Flickr

This year I got to branch out more as a traveler and a travel writer. I also learned a few new lessons for myself. Here are three of them.

There’s a lot to see in your home country – more than you realize.
As someone who tries to get to as many “must-see before I die” international destinations as I can, I find it’s easier to forget that my native United States has many unique finds. An April visit to Carmel-by-the-Sea introduced me to its quirky history – no stoplights or street signs – and souvenirs like a permit to wear high heels. During summertime, I got to experience artistic and culinary growth in Detroit, where a relationship between old buildings and new purposes seems to be bridging together nicely. Cheyenne showed me more about what life was and is like on the Western frontier, and how rodeo remains its legacy. And Reno has its charms too. So hopefully in 2016 I’ll do some more sightseeing of the U.S. of A.

Expand your travel options. It’s easy to consider just one option for getting from A to B, but consider looking at alternative methods of everything from transportation to dates to make traveling more efficient. With the hope that I’ll be doing more flying in the future, I decided to sign up for TSA’s Pre-Check and applied for enrolling in TSA’s Global Entry. They are security clearance programs in which once you complete a background screening, you’ll be given a special traveler’s number that you’ll be associated with you. It means you go through a different airport security line in which your screening will be conducted separately. The same goes for driving. Also as someone that tends to avoid being behind a wheel on trips, especially on my own, I made a stride in changing that by heading to Maine last November.

Learn more by doing. There’s no other time that I could think of which gives people the opportunity to travel more with websites, apps, forums and other resources providing tips and deals. The same goes with travel writing. Whether you want to post about your travels as a diary, or develop your skills as a blogger, there are hosting sites that can give you the knowledge to gradually develop your site. It does take time to flourish – I’ve been at if for three years as a blogger, close to 20 as a professional writer – but either way you’ll learn a lot. Even if you don’t make a living from travel media, you learn about self-promotion, marketing, social media, SEO, and networking. Starting out? Don’t be alone. I suggest connecting with travel-minded Meetup and Facebook groups and signing up for Travel Massive, a global networking exchange of individuals connected to the travel sector.

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Visiting Kennebunk/Kennebunkport, Maine

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Recently, a work assignment brought me up to southern Maine, specifically to Kennebunk and its neighbor, Kennebunkport. Typically, Maine gets many visitors during the summer months, but I discovered that these two towns offer day-to-day attractions to see, do, and dine at year-round. In fact, Kennebunkport puts on a holiday celebration called Christmas Prelude every December.

Though some shops and restaurants may change their hours (or shut down completely) during the colder seasons, your chances of exploring much of Kennebunk and Kennebunkport are pretty good.

Here are my recommendations:

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Get a culinary lesson through Table Maine. Started by the Kennebunkport Resort Collection in February 2015, Table Maine is a weekend culinary program of classes led by local chefs and offering kitchen techniques on food/beverage subjects such as mixology or preparing meat or seafood dishes. Coursework extends to viewing demonstrations, hands-on lessons, and even local restaurants putting on “pop up” dinners. Depending on the subjects, pricing for classes and events usually start at $35 and go as high as $105.

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Go bike riding. By the water, through town, or even on a nature trail, Kennebunkport has places to trek to on your bike. One recommended route is on the scenic Ocean Avenue. This road leads on a route with views of the sea, beaches, restaurants, and the presidential Bush family’s compound at Walker’s Point (but don’t go too far there). Mountain bikers can try the trails at the Edwin L. Smith Preserve of the Kennebunkport Conservation Trust, which has acquired and preserved various natural areas. If you don’t have — or didn’t bring — a bike, consider renting a set of wheels from Kennebunkport Bicycle.

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Find nature at protected reserves. Just over a 10-minute ride from Kennebunkport, the town of Wells has two nature reserves that can be seen on foot. I spent some time at The Wells Reserve at Laudholm, which has a network of trails that you can walk along and notice the different habitats in this protected coastal ecosystem. The trails stay open year-round, range from easy to moderate, and are mainly self-guided. An admission fee is charged from Memorial Day Weekend through Columbus Day. Not far from Wells Reserve, consider stopping by the Rachel Carlson Wildlife Refuge. This reserve has designated visitor use areas that enable the public to do activities such as kayaking or viewing wildlife.

Do some antiquing along Route 1. Known as the Maine Antique Trail, this road doubles as a map for 42 miles of over 50 antique stores. Kennebunk contains a few, including Armada Antiques & Collectibles. The shelves and display cases inside this two-level building must get a lot of looks. Merchandise from dinnerware, to books and periodicals, to sports memorabilia, to even relics from another era can be browsed through.

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Stop at the Wedding Cake House. Said to be the most photographed house in Maine, this Gothic style home off of Route 35 in Kennebunk is literally eye candy. Supposedly, this bright yellow house with white trim was built by a sea captain as a wedding gift for his bride. Today this place is privately owned, but most people might stop to get a glimpse or photo.

Learn about Kennebunk’s history at the Brick Store Museum. Although this museum was closed on the days that I was town, I think it’s worth a visit. Said to be one of the few U.S. museums to open during the Great Depression, this venue serves as part arts institution, part historic site, and part archives center. Its three buildings date back to the 1800s, but inside, rotating exhibitions highlight the town’s overall legacy through its people and objects.

Where to Eat and Drink

Get local and seasonal flavor at Salt & Honey. In Kennebunkport’s Dock Square, this restaurant has been dishing out comfort food for breakfast, lunch and dinner since opening in May 2014. Its changing menu offer staple dishes and New England favorites, particularly with ingredients like Maine blueberries and lobster. Consider the fish and chips combo with a finely breaded North Atlantic haddock.

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Order breakfast at Boulangerie. In Kennebunk, this village bakery produces artisanal breads, croissants, baguettes, focaccia, sticky buns, meat pies, and other flour-based delights. The location is very rustic – a barn dating back to the 1900s – with indoor and outdoor seating for plopping down and savoring a breakfast treat or afternoon snack. Get their chicken meat pie and monkey bread!

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Grab some lunch at Duffy’s Tavern & Grill. With one location in Kennebunk’s historic Lafayette Center, this family-friendly place has good pub fare. The venue serves up American food for patrons of all ages – burgers, salads, apps, and wings plus gluten-free options – and the scene is pretty casual.

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Do dinner at The Ramp Bar & Grill. Under Pier 77, in Kennebunkport’s Porpoise Harbor, the tiny yet lively waterside venue has both a local and tourist following. What you’ll first notice are the football helmets hanging above the bar, but the lunch and dinner servings run the gamut from New England seafood favorites, finger foods, to more fork-required dishes like traditional penne Bolognese and a Greek meze.

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Shop at H.B. Provisions. At this general store and deli, also in Kennebunk, pick up a souvenir or order a sandwich, specialty wrap, burger, or panini. There’s table space for sitting down and just watching the shop work, and you can also get some groceries while you’re at it. While eating, take a good look at the walls and see photos of some famous shoppers.

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Tour the Shipyard Brewing Company at Federal Jack’s. At this eatery in Kennebunkport Harbor, Shipyard first brewed its craft beer in 1992. Although its main plant is now in Portland, visitors can still see and learn more about Shipyard on tours at its location in the same building as Federal Jack’s. A seven-barrel system uses state of the art technology to produce house and seasonal ales, plus stouts and IPAs, and keeps its upstairs pub neighbor supplied with continuous suds.

Editor’s Note: My visit and itinerary was scheduled through the Chamber of Commerce for Kennebunk and Kennebunkport. However, the list is all based on my suggestions and experiences.

Taiwan Tourism Bureau and Sheraton LaGuardia East Hotel Present ‘Savoring Taiwan’s Cuisine’ in Flushing

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This October, discover Taiwanese dishes like fish congee at “Savoring Taiwan’s Cuisine” in Flushing.

Taiwan has been making some headlines lately, as a rising culinary destination. Recently CNN featured stories about 40 must-try Taiwanese foods and especially on street food in the city of Tainan. But don’t worry if you can’t get to Taiwan right away. This month, you can get a taste of the country’s cuisine in Flushing, in the New York City borough of Queens.

From Friday, October 16 through Tuesday, October 20, the Taiwan Tourism Bureau and the Sheraton LaGuardia East Hotel in Flushing are presenting “Savoring Taiwan’s Cuisine,” a five-day culinary extravaganza, inside the hotel’s Brasserie Du Dragon Restaurant. It’s open to the public, so they can learn more about Taiwan through a fun way – the food! “Savoring Taiwan’s Cuisine” will feature daily lunch and dinner servings with a choice of different types of Taiwanese street food prepared in partnership with award-winning Taiwanese chefs.

Well-respected Taiwanese chefs will prepare an elaborate menu at “Savoring Taiwan’s Cuisine.”

Wondering what you’ll find on your plate? Here’s a cooking lesson about Taiwanese food.

This cuisine is a melting pot of China’s regional culinary styles mixed with foreign influences served establishments ranging from fine restaurants to night markets. Another big and tasty aspect of Taiwanese culture is what’s known as snacking. Often happening at night markets, snacking centers on handheld bites, sips of a beverage, or a plate that just needs an accompanying fork or spoon.

Common snack or street foods in Taiwan include bubble (or pearl) milk tea; danzai noodles; oyster omelets; meat rice dumplings; coffin bread; and a sweetly flavored crushed ice. Other local specialties include candied fruits, Taiwanese style meatballs, rice noodles, and various breads and cakes.

Guests at “Savoring Taiwan’s Cuisine” will get to try the popular Chou’s Shrimp Rolls.

As for the “Savoring Taiwan’s Cuisine” event, a must-have will be the main entrée: Chou’s Shrimp Rolls. Chef Chou, who was from Tainan, created his specialty shrimp rolls in 1965. This dish quickly earned him fame throughout his home country. In the 1980s, Chef Chou updated his recipe by making the rolls out of fresh and juicy shrimp. Now made mixed with high-quality ground pork, fish paste, celery and green onion, the shrimp rolls have won over the taste buds of gourmands from all over Taiwan and the world.

Taiwanese cuisine has embraced flavors and traditions from China and foreign influences.

The menu for “Savoring Taiwan’s Cuisine” is as follows:

A Welcome Drink
Ancient Plum Juice, made with roselle, preserved plum, osmanthus, umezuke, and prunus mume.

Hors D’oeuvres
Preserved Fruit or Chou’s Shrimp Crisps

Soup
Handmade Milkfish and Shrimp Balls in Bone Soup

Appetizers
Grilled Mullet Roe, served with radishes and great garlic, or Tainan Coffin Toast, filled with seafood chowder.

Entrees
Chou’s Shrimp Rolls, made with fire shrimp, celery, scallions, onion, fish paste, minced pork, and pig stomach membrane.
Stir Fried Shredded Eel Noodles
Milkfish Congee, made with milkfish, oyster, celery, congee with bone soup, and topped with crisp fried garlic.
Danzai Noodles, made with minced pork, fire shrimp, and noodles in a bone soup.

Dessert
Almond Tofu Pudding or Fresh Fruit

The cost of admission to “Savoring Taiwan’s Cuisine” gives you a memorable experience without needing a passport or airfare. It is at $39.95 per person, with an added 15% service charge and 8.875% sales tax. There is an 18% service charge for parties of six or more. Lunch will be served from noon to 3 p.m., and dinner from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Reservations are required and can be made by calling 718-670-7400 or through Open Table (Brasserie Du Dragon Restaurant). The Sheraton LaGuardia East Hotel is located at 135-20 39^th Avenue in Flushing. Visit the hotel’s website or the Taiwan Tourism Bureau’s website here.

Editor’s Note: This sponsored post was brought to you by Taiwan Tourism Bureau via Cooperatize.

https://s3.amazonaws.com/Cooperatize/scripts/page_time_5.js?cookieDomain=sheisgoingplaces.com;page=91241-31701;title=91241-31701;brand=http://eng.taiwan.net.tw/m1.aspx?sNo=0002026;

Experience Macau in Grand Central Terminal

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Do you know where Macau is geographically based? Or have you even heard of this destination? If your answer to both questions is no, don’t fret. If you’re near New York City from Thursday through Sunday, October 1-4, go to Grand Central Terminal’s Vanderbilt Hall to learn about this small peninsula in mainland China.

A four-day event called “Experience Macau” will showcase the destination’s cuisine, customs, and history through ongoing or scheduled presentations. One fact to get you started is that Macau was governed by Portugal for over 400 years (It was a Portuguese territory until 1999).

At Grand Central Terminal, “Experience Macau” will feature daily hands-on activities. These ongoing offerings include:

Lantern Painting
Learn more about Macau’s art of traditional lantern decoration by creating your own souvenir.

Head into a Photobooth
Snap a photo with Macau backdrops and accessories, then have it sent straight to your phone.

Macau Gallery
Take in Macau’s culture and beauty, as depicted in fine artworks displayed in an exhibit.

Trading Post
Discover spices and other cooking essentials while learning about Macau’s history of maritime trade.

Design an Azulejo
Create your very own azulejo — a Portuguese tile — to take home.

Each day of “Experience Macau” will feature various dance performances and cultural presentations. For more information, visit this website. The event is free and open to the public during these hours:

Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015, noon – 7 p.m.
Portuguese Dancers Performance from 5:30 to 6 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 2, 8 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Macanese Drummers Performance from 9:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.
Portuguese Dancers Performance from 5:30 to 6 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 3, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Dragon Dancers Performance at noon
Portuguese Dancers Performance at 2 p.m.

Sunday, Oct. 4, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Dragon Dancers Performance at noon
Portuguese Dancers at 2 p.m.

http://www.visitmacauchina.com/grandcentral/

10 Travel Goals For Turning 40

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Photo by Billie Ward via Flickr

I turn 40 this week. As this age might make you reflect a bit on life, I decided to think about some travel goals I would like to reach at some point. Or at least before I reach 50. So here’s a list of my 10 future travel goals, maybe to accomplish before I hit 50.

1) Get better at swimming. I can swim, but just not that great. Or not that far out. So I need to build up my stamina. And because I want to try snorkeling at some point.

2) Master a language. When I travel overseas, I make it a point to learn words like “hello,” “please,” “thank you,” “how much” and “where is ___.” And with my trip to Japan later this year, I would like to grasp a few phrases that I can speak as well as understand with ease.

3) Pack a carry-on at least once. With airlines charging bag fees like $25 each way, a carry-on probably could save me money and time. It also might make me better with packing and have me go directly from the plane to the airport exit.

4) Practice slow travel. Slow travel means spending more time in one place – instead of rushing around from venue to venue or city to city. I’ll probably struggle with slow travel, but some day in the future I’m going to try and focus on spending time in one area or doing or seeing one or two things daily. Or maybe three.

5) Attend one major sporting event. I was lucky to have been in Paris the night of the 2006 FIFA World Cup Final between France and Italy, and, after the match was over, walked amid the parade of soccer fans along the Champs-Élysées. I would love to get to the Winter or Summer Olympics, but even going to the Super Bowl would be awesome.

6) Participate in a major cultural festival. Like sports, going to a major cultural festival like Carnevale in Venice or Rio de Janeiro or the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona would be pretty cool. I was in Barcelona for a music festival called La Merce, but there are others that are equally if not greater fun.

7) See Machu Picchu or the Galapagos. I’ve yet to get to Central or South America and if I could only visit one place/country, I could get to it either to Peru or Ecuador. For some reason, I’m captivated by the ruins of Machu Picchu and the wildlife of the Galapagos Islands. Maybe 2016 will bring me to one of them.

8) Improve my photography skills. Lately for photos, I’ve been using my iPhone 5S as a camera. My shots come out great, but I also want to have a camera for taking a variety of close-ups, panoramics, and nighttime images.

9) Get to all 50 states. There’s a lot to see in America. So far this year, I got to visit Montana for the first time. Next month, I’m heading to Michigan, also for the first time. Roughly, I’ve been to about 25 states and I would rush to get to Oregon, Hawaii and Alaska. Even seeing the Heartland or Southwest would be cool.

10) Learn more about food and drink. I’ve gotten over being a picky eater, and I’ll try almost any type of food now. But I like to have some culinary savvy. With eating and drinking, I know what I like, and what I don’t, but I wish I can know more about the terminology behind a dish or a cocktail. What makes the flavors work together? Usually, I say it’s good, but that’s where I reach my limit with descriptions.

What travel goals do you have before turning 40?

A Guide to Carmel-by-the Sea

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Carmel-by-the-Sea is just one square mile but there’s a lot to do here. On a recent press trip to this bay village, I dined at fine restaurants, looked around in specialty shops, followed a wine walk, and hit the beach!

Founded as an artist’s colony, Carmel-by-the-Sea has its charm and quirks. For one thing, there are no street lights or street numbers. It’s also against the law to wear high heels in public. But this village by the bay is pretty pet-friendly and has had poets and actors like Clint Eastwood as mayor, so it evens out. You can spend a day or a few days in Carmel-by-the-Sea. Here is my list of what to do and see here.
Head to Carmel Beach. At the base of Ocean Avenue, Carmel Beach can be a bit of a walk depending upon where you’re coming from. You head all the down the street to get to this off-white sandy beach, but the trek is worth it. I was there on a cooler day so I just dipped my feet in the water and took a good leisurely stroll. As with around town, Carmel Beach is a pet-friendly place, so you’ll run into dog owners on the sand.
Get a permit to wear high heels. Why no heels? This ordinance was enacted because of uneven roads and concern over possible liability lawsuits. But you can get around this ban by applying for a permit. It makes for a fun souvenir. Head to Town Hall and fill out an application from the Clerk’s office. Pull out your ID and the staff will authorize your permit and keep a record of it on file.

See the fairy-tale Comstock Homes. Back in the 1920s, architect Hugh Comstock designed a number of English-style country homes for people, which looked like something out of a storybook. Twenty-one of them are still around, but they’re mostly private residences. You can see them only from the outside. The bulk of them are mainly on Torres Street and Sixth Avenue and then on Ocean Avenue near Santa Fe and Saint Rita streets. These homes can be tricky to get to on your own, so you might want to see the two now being used commercially on Dolores Street instead.

Take a walking tour. Learn more about this Carmel-by-the-Sea’s history through Carmel Walks. The tour company’s guides will take you around the village and might make stops at Town Hall, one of the Comstock houses or even an alleyway where a scene from Eastwood’s “Play Misty for Me” was filmed.
Go on a wine tasting walk. Carmel-by-the-Sea’s “Wine Walk” consists of 14 tasting rooms that can be visited at your own pace. They also belong to a Wine Walk Passport program, which you can pick up a pass from the Chamber of Commerce. Tasting rooms include Wrath, whose wines come from the Santa Lucia Highlands; Scheid Vineyard, with its main location in Salinas Valley; or Figge Cellars, a boutique winery based inside an art gallery.
Have dinner and drinks at Cypress Inn. This pet-friendly boutique hotel is jointly owned by actress and resident Doris Day, so you’ll see a lot of Day’s movie memorabilia near Terry’s Restaurant and Lounge. And spot some four-legged guests. While you’re here, order a cocktail from the bar. The menu reflects Hollywood’s Golden Age — and the drinks flowing during that period. Orders include Mai Tais, Moscow Mules and Pisco Sours plus a selection of fine rum, gin, brandy, and cognac. Stay for a meal as well.

Visit Carmel Mission. This Spanish style mission church from the late 1700s is a heritage site with an active parish. You can visit the Basilica church, which is a National Historic Landmark, and the museum.

For other dining or shopping options, here are my suggestions:

Carmel Bakery. Just looking at the goodies in the display window of this quaint bakeshop makes you want to step inside this place. In business since 1906, this bakery/coffee shop offers well-sized European style pastries such as cannolis and eclairs and their best-seller chocolate macaroons. Casanova Restaurant. This romantic restaurant was once a private home for Aunt Fairy Bird, who was Charlie Chaplin’s cook. Drawing from the French and Italian countryside, the menu features various croques, pasta, seafood and meat dishes plus some Belgian ones like pomme and moules frites. Take a look at the room built to house “Van Gogh’s Table.” The painter ate his daily meals at this table while living at a boarding house in Auvers Sur-Oise, France. La Bicyclette Restaurant. This place uses Old World techniques to craft a daily-changing menu. Breakfast, lunch and dinner options are available. Their thin crust pizzas are made in a wood-fired Mugnaini oven and the flavors blend nicely. Order the Butternut Squash one that is also graced with arugula, sage, gruyere, and speck ham. The Local Champignon gets topped with portabellas, oyster mushrooms, mozzarella, thyme and a caramelized onion puree. Little Napoli. This Italian bistro has cozy quarters for serving rustic dishes such as antipasti, pizza, pasta and risotto based on the owner’s family recipes. Even the garlic bread is made from a century-old method. For starters, find lollipop twists on arancini, meatballs and fried artichokes. Consider their baked truffle gnocchi or try the “Hobo Stew.” Lunch, dinner, and children’s menus are available. Trio Carmel. This specialty shop carries premium olive oils and infused olive oils with flavors such as Persian lime, blood orange, wild mushroom and sage, and garlic. Find traditional and flavored white and dark balsamics sourced from Modena, Italy as well. The shop also holds wine tastings featuring Monterey County vintners. Olive oil tastings are also offered. Lula’s Chocolates. This sweet store features handmade caramels and chocolates made at its production factory in Monterey. Find toffees, buttercreams, nut clusters, sea-salted caramels, truffles, and boxes of assorted chocolates.

Disclaimer: Though I was a guest of Visit Carmel, every suggestion in this story is based on my opinion.

A Night with Texas Tourism

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Being a native Texan, it was fun to get an invite from Texas Tourism for their media night in New York City earlier this week. At Lightbox Studios, representatives from the tourism offices of Galveston, Houston, El Paso, Midland, Amarillo, San Antonio, and Rio Grande were on hand to share latest news about their destinations.

Along with them, staff members from Texas’ Wine regions, JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country, Hotel Emma in San Antonio, and restaurants The Granary ‘Cue Brew in San Antonio and Prohibition Supper Club & Bar in Houston.

Delicious pork sandwich with Vietnamese-style slaw from Houston’s Prohibition Supper Club & Bar.

Here are some highlights from what’s happening with tourism throughout Texas:

In Houston
Downtown Houston’s Historic District and Market Square is experiencing an ongoing major revival that is ushering in new restaurants and bar openings to turn it into a happening area again.
Other news for Houston involves public transportation. An expansion of METRORail includes three rail lines recently completed or under construction to give the city 22.7 miles of rail so that locals and visitors can head by train to neighborhoods including Downtown, Midtown, the Museum District, East End, East Downtown (EaDo), Third Ward and the Texas Medical Center.

A Texas take on pastrami from the Granary ‘Cue Brew, San Antonio.

In San Antonio
San Antonio’s Spanish colonial missions have been nominated for inclusion as a site on the World Heritage List organized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). If you’re not familiar with it, the World Heritage List recognizes the most significant cultural and national sites in the world. If awarded, San Antonio’s Spanish colonial missions would be the first World Heritage Site in Texas and only the 23^rd in the U.S.

Another reason to consider a visit to San Antonio are festivals. Especially for foodies, Culinaria – A Culinary Arts & Wine Festival, happens this year from May 13 through May 17. Culinaria will feature internationally renowned vintners, top Texas wine producers and the hottest San Antonio chefs. Another fun one is the Fiesta Noche Del Rio, running May through August, a 50-year musical tradition that features the songs and dances of Mexico, Spain, Argentina and Texas. Performances are at the River Walk’s Arneson River Theatre.

Historic Grapevine
Did you that Texas has a Wine Trail? It’s is the fifth-largest wine-producing state in the U.S., and a way to learn and taste its offerings is to head to Historic Grapevine region, which centrally located between Dallas and Fort Worth. Its Urban Wine Trail contains eight wineries offering different varietals or blends and holding tastings regularly.

As for me, I’m hoping to make a trek back to Texas soon!

Helpful Tips for New Travelers

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When I started out traveling more on my own – as part of an escorted tour or now going by myself – I read a lot of guidebooks and sought a ton of personal advice from people I trusted.

Now, thanks to travel blogs, community forums and pretty much the World Wide Web, you can find information on just about any travel-related question you have. Yet there are still a few lessons you learn from traveling itself. Here are eight tips that are helpful for new travelers.

Photo by Jasleen Kaur via Flickr.com

Don’t bring more than you really need.
I’m still a bit guilty of over packing but lugging around my bags has taught me to lighten my load. Depending on where you’re going, chances are that you will at least once have to carry your bags up a flight of stairs. So make it easier on you. With clothes, I bring clothing that are mainly conservative (in the case of going into a sacred place) and can be worn at least twice (think jeans/pants) and can be layered or removed easily. And that one or two pieces that could pass for semi-formal attire. For shoes, I mostly wear flats. With luggage, I prefer using nylon bags since they seem to handle getting tossed around and can also be easier to stack or maneuver into spots.

Photo by http://www.directline.com via Flickr.com

Get familiar with first aid.
Accidents can happen, and it can be tricky to get to a pharmacy. It’s good to pack a small all-purpose safety kit with you for any small scrapes or cuts you might encounter. Having over the counter medicine like pain relievers or stomach aids is good too. Plus, it saves you money. When I was in Switzerland last summer, I had to buy ibuprofen for a throbbing toothache. The price of the smallest bottle I could find: Nine Francs. That’s roughly $9.30 US Dollars. And teach yourself a thing or two about first aid. I badly banged up my ankle during a trip to New Orleans in 2011 and thankfully I had someone with me who could tie a bandage on it the right way.

Grab a brochure or business card from where you’re staying.
In the excitement of being in your new destination, it can be easily to blank out on where you’re staying. Though you should still print out all of your info like with your accommodations, grab their business card or brochure when you get there. Put it in your pocket or purse. Personally, I’m terrible with names so it helps me to do this. Plus, after I get settled in my room, I often head out the door right away and can forget to take a mental note of where I started from. And as more people are using non-hotel accommodations through sites like AirBnb, keep a Google Maps printout of your digs with you.

Pace yourself.
There’s a term floating around now called “slow travel” and it means staying in one place longer to enjoy it. If your trip is limited, focus on spending time (perhaps a half or full day) in one particular area of your destination. Maybe it’s a museum or a national park or street market or a people watching public space. Typically, Americans only get a limited amount of vacation time, so it’s understandable to feel the need to “jam-pack” your itinerary or schedule. I’m just as guilty. But then, if you’re rushed to get through a place like a museum, focus on one wing. Or if you have only one day, let’s say in New York City, focus on one district. And adopt a “go with the flow” attitude.

Photo by gosheshe via Flickr.com

Be mindful of your money.
As a saver or a spender, you should be financially flexible with your money when you travel. If there’s one thing, you should allow some wiggle room in your budget to not miss out on sudden discoveries like a walking tour or impromptu plan changes. Also, don’t carry all your cash and cards in one place in the case that you might be robbed like I was. I don’t mind using a money belt, but I also try to be creative in using hidden compartments like an empty trial-size bottle for keeping extra bills from getting lost.

Shop locally.
Another way to delve more into the local culture is to go to the nearest grocery store. If in need of anything like a drink or a snack, it’s also a good source to get an item at a reasonable price. On the last day I was in Jamaica, our guide took us to a nearby supermarket where I was able to get a few items I could bring home (there are some foods you can’t due to US Customs laws) for much less than buying the same items at the airport gift shop. Even just browsing at the different shelves is neat. Food markets are a neat way to see what products are part of the local diet.

Learn Your Way Around.
It’s easy nowadays to pull up your iPhone ask Suri for help or use an app to get directions. But having a good sense of direction is important. Get your bearings by picking a local map from your hotel or even tourist office (which are also great resources). Another way to get better at getting around is to use public transportation. Often you will find ticket options such as daily/weekly/monthly passes, which can also help in getting a layout of your destination – even if it’s underneath or on a set of wheels. Or brush up before you go by looking up information on sections or neighborhoods.

What tips would you offer a new traveler?

Intrepid Travel’s $1 Deposit Promotion

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Recently I got a press pitch from reps for Intrepid Travel and thought it would be good for sharing. Now until February 28, 2015, Intrepid is holding a $1 deposit promotion to inspire people to consider booking a spot on certain adventure tour packages. The company caters mostly to independent travelers with different itineraries and excursions.

Intrepid’s promotion is being marketed as giving an opportunity for travelers to take on a new personal challenge for 2015: doing things outside of your comfort zone. And it’s for remote places that probably are on an adventurer’s Bucket List (or must-do list if you hate that term). According to their website, a sheer buck holds a spot on new bookings for select tours. They are for Polar Trips, Gorilla Treks, Inca Trail trips, and Peru trips operated by a local partner company called Dragoman.

I followed up with Intrepid’s PR reps to see if the promotion had any other limitations or requirements. Nope, I was told. The response: Normal booking conditions still apply. Those booking a trip will pay the $1 deposit and have the option to (1) pay the trip cost in full or (2) pay later, with final payment due 56 days prior to travel.

Editor’s Note: I was neither paid nor solicited by Intrepid Travel to write this post.