I spent part of Labor Day weekend in Roanoke, VA with my best friends and had an absolute blast. My main interests when visiting a new city are finding cool restaurants and local breweries. I love craft beer. Roanoke did not disappoint in that area! We arrived Friday evening and had dinner at a new Mexican restaurant, Cabo Fish Taco. There are three locations: Charlotte, NC, Blacksburg, VA, and Roanoke. I had the Sweet Blackened Tuna salad and a jalapeno margarita; both were smashing! After dinner, we went to Tuco’s for a few drinks. I have eaten at Tuco’s before and the food is delicious, but since we had just eaten, we stuck with…
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Sugar Bowl
I recently went to the Sugar Bowl in Scottsdale, AZ, and smitten doesn’t even begin to cover it. A throwback to a different era (and celebrating their 60th anniversary this year), the Sugar Bowl is a cotton candy colored dream, inside and out. View of the old-school counter: The menu is simple– salads and sandwiches, with an emphasis on ice cream, sundaes, malts, milkshakes–everything good! I had the Elegante salad- turkey, bacon, and avocado on top of a bed of lettuce (healthy)! It came with a couple of small slices of banana bread with cream cheese, which was delicious. To accompany my salad, I had an “extra-luscious shake” made with…
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Loews Ventana Canyon Resort
I recently stayed at the Loews Ventana Canyon Resort in Tucson, Arizona, while attending a conference. The conference lasted all week and included a golf event over the weekend. I arrived at the resort on Monday and departed Saturday. The setting was breathtaking. Nestled into the mountains of Tucson, the whole resort gives you a feeling of seclusion. The location and guest room were outstanding. Walking trails around property take you to see some interesting things, including a waterfall, cacti, and maybe even wild animals. From the outdoor walkway to my room, I had a stunning view of the mountains. From my room, I had this gorgeous view of Tucson-or…
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Taliesin West
I’m putting forth an effort to see more and do more on my work trips. This week, I am visiting Scottsdale, AZ, and when I researched things to do, I learned of Taliesin West, Frank Lloyd Wright’s winter home. A stunning home in Scottsdale, Taliesin West is situated on 620 acres in the desert. It was constructed in 1937 and was famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s winter home until the time of his death in 1959. It now serves as the main campus of the School of Architecture at Taliesin and houses the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation. Taliesin West was a quick, 15-minute drive from my hotel. Wright’s touch is everywhere; even…
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Cabin Fever
I have been home for a few weeks, and I must say, I’m getting cabin fever. Don’t get me wrong. I love being home. I love my house, my family, everything that’s here. But it sure doesn’t beat being on the road! I’m heading to Arizona this weekend and can’t wait!
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50 in 30
I have set a new travel goal for myself: all 50 states in 30 years. I am 28 now, so I have less than two years to finish them up. Unfortunately, a lot of the states I lack are the biiiiig ones out west {ie North and South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, etc} and not conducive to easy traveling between them, unless you are looking for a very long road trip {and I am not}. I have 21 states yet to go. I know of ~6 I will definitely travel to this year, and will likely add some additional side trips on as time permits. In the graphic above, hot…
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The US Grant Hotel
I stayed at the US Grant Hotel while visiting San Diego for work recently. I am not usually blown away by hotels, but this one really surprised me. I was a late register for a conference and the block of rooms at our conference hotel down the street had sold out. I chose this one because it had a good location for my conference and I was actually able to secure a rate even lower than the block rate at the other hotel! Excellent decision. The Grant is over 100 years old and was built by the son of President Ulysses S. Grant. It is now run by Starwood Hotels as part…
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St. Joseph, Michigan
I went to St. Joseph, Michigan for work last week and WOW, I was taken aback by it’s beauty! I wish I could have stayed longer than the three days I was there, but I will certainly be returning! St. Joe has a great up-and-coming craft beer and local wine scene, which is something I love. There is no better way to experience a new town than by the food and drink culture! If you happen to be in the area, check out Silver Harbor Brewing on Pleasant Avenue (they have 10-12 craft brews and amazing food) and Silver Beach Pizza. We had wings and margherita pizza and both were excellent!