Tag Archives: Travel Tips

Permalink to Must Have Travel Apps

Must Have Travel Apps

by WanderSouth|on September 18, 2011 |in Mobile Apps, Travel Tips |tagged , , |Leave a comment

I am reliant on my iPhone for everything. For my calendar, my pocket point and shoot, and travel details. It’s so convenient to have everything in one digital package! Here are my must have apps for any wanderer:

TripIt - FREE – Such a smart app! It stores all your travel plans in one place. Once you make your reservations online, you can email your itinerary email confirmation to a special email and it uploads all the details. It’s even smart enough to group plans from different travel vendors. For airplane travel it has a flight status link for the up-to-the-minute details about gates, delays and airport maps. It has been indispensable for me.

Yelp - FREE – Finding great food in any location is EASY on Yelp. I just do a search for what I’m hungry for and find the one that is closest to me with the highest rating and the most reviews. We’ve used this in major metropolitan areas and on rural wanders – we’re never disappointed by crowdsourcing some good grub!

Trover – FREE – Find funky, fabulous finds that are close to you with this fun photo app. Doing a search in their “Nearby” function shows you treasures within walking distance, biking or driving. This is a fun way to burn an hour in an unfamiliar town. This app also features a social function where other Trovers can “like” and follow your photos. Fun community of talented photographers.

GrubHub – FREE – Too tired to tromp around trying to find a place to eat? Download GrubHub, and in major cities, delivered food is only a few clicks away. An online collection of delivery food, you never have to be subjected to expensive, limited room service again!

MTrip – $5.99 for each city – These are a bit pricey, but a great big city travel guide for iPhones. Add your hotel, how many days you are on vacation, and what is on your “must see” list and it will map out your itinerary over the trip. It makes suggestions of other things you might like by location and interest. Also has food and shopping recommendations, but not as strong a platform as Yelp. Informative simple attraction descriptions are handy to make the most out of your trip.

Apps I can’t wait to try out:

Urbandig – FREE – Very cool concept of walking tours by city curated by hip locals. The walking tours are organized by interest and then specialty – the food tours in San Francisco include a ice cream, locavore, and cheap eats tours. The app currently has tours for LA, San Francisco and Vancouver with more coming soon. Getting off the beaten path has never been so easy.

Postcard On the Run – FREE – Clunky, buggy interface, but the concept is awesome. You can send physical postcards of your iPhone photos to loved ones from anywhere in the world (well within cell phone range, that is). Complete with message section, actual signature and geolocate map your postcard is stamped and mailed to anyone within a few days for just for under $2 a piece. Nice physical touch for longer trips or special occasions like honeymoons or family reunions!

Permalink to Lactose-Free Foodie: Seattle, WA

Lactose-Free Foodie: Seattle, WA

by WanderSouth|on July 24, 2011 |in Foodie, Lactose-Free Foodie, Wander West |tagged , , , , , , , , , |Leave a comment

The Emerald City is known as a foodie town. Since moving to the South, we’ve had some great meals, but I’ve missed the big city mastery of chefs. Maybe it’s homesickness for west coast fare, but I love eating in Seattle. There is a vibrant localvore, vegan and international food scene. That all adds up to one happy lactose-free foodie!

Yes, it’s true, Seattle is not in the South. It’s about as far away from Raleigh as I can get and still be on the Continental US, but people do travel to other places outside of the South. Besides, it’s fun to write about travel and food. This post is about my first two trips taken in June and July.

My delish dairy-free adventures:

This is what we call a fork and knife biscuit. Goooooood morning from Dahlia Workshop in Seattle.Breakfast – Dahlia Workshop – Oh my stars, this place is giving the South a run on the biscuit racket. Fluffy, big and crispy. They said it was a buttermilk biscuit, but I did not react (yeah!). I got one with fennel sausage, an over easy egg and sauteed red pepper mix. It usually comes with fontina, but this dairy-free girl skipped that. They also have really fabulous soy lattes, it is Seattle after all. While munchin’ on my biscuit sandwich that required a fork and knife, I was reminded of what I miss most about living in West coast culture is the laid-back, artsy vibe. I miss tattoos, I miss boisterous chill folks, I miss giant unkempt beards. I felt right at home in this hip, tiny joint with the singing, warm chef who brought my biscuit to me with a smile.

YumBreakfast – Eltana – Wood-fired bagels?! Yes, and boy are they good! The bagels are realistically sized and hearty. They have an adventurous selection of spreads. Many are lactose-free including the fava bean mint and red pepper walnut. A little tip, you can choose two spreads because you have two sides of your bagel (I was reminded this by the friendly server). Also, this was the first place that I was introduced to the Seattle standard of syrup-less lattes. If you want vanilla, go to Starbucks.

Lunch – Pho in the USA – I was on a business lunch so I was shy about taking a photo. I need to be braver next time, my readers demand it! North Carolina is REALLY far away from Vietnam so we don’t get the tastiest pho and bun there. I was in such withdrawl I had pho for lunch and bun for dinner. I was not sad about this vermicelli rich day. The pho at Pho in the USA is wonderfully spicy and warm. The thinly sliced beef is cooked right in the broth. Oh my stars, so good. It was nutritious, warm and fabulously pho.

Cuban Roast Sandwich from PaseosLunch – Paseo Carribean Restaurant - My friends at WithinReach turned me on to this tiny, tasty restaurant. It is AMAZING! It took me an hour to stand in line and get my sandwich, but it was worth it! Also, bring CASH (there is an ATM at the market up the street). Their famous sandwich is the Cuban Roast with is mojo soaked, pork shoulder roasted until it falls apart. It’s served on a crispy french roll with lots of romaine lettuce, a really garlicky aioli, wide-cut caramelized onions, pickled jalapenos and cilantro. It is one of those few meals that the first bite is just as tasty and dynamic as the last. I got mine to go and ate it at the Woodland Park Zoo nearby. This is a must have meal if you are in Seattle and all wonderfully lactose-free!

Combination bun at Green Leaf - yum in my tum-tumDinner – Green Leaf Vietnamese Restaurant – Voted one of the best Vietnamese restaurants in Seattle, it was not a disappointment. I had combination bun with the famous egg roll and lots of grilled chicken, pork and shrimp all with loads of fresh veggies. It was so good. I should have asked for more of the clear broth-y, sauce stuff. I also had a fresh squeezed slightly salty lemonade. The place is super tiny and very popular so come early or expect to wait. I am already craving it!

 

Catching dinnerDinner – Coastal Kitchen – The sign was much cuter than the food. Not my favorite stop on my travels. It has a rotating menu, my trip had a strong Argentinian menu, served along side an odd collection of seafood fare like fish and chips. Very odd joint and fairly expensive. The cocktails were potent and pretty good. The Bluegrass Bubbles which combined champagne, whiskey, sugar and lemon was a nice twist on the French 75.

FOOD ALLERGY BONUS: For those with food allergies they have a specific “Allergy Book” which lists all the items that could cause problems so you don’t have to worry about getting sick from an ignorant prep chef or waiter.

Goat cheese cheesecakeDinner – Steelhead Diner - OMG so TDF! One of my most expensive meals in a while, but also one of the best I’ve had in a long, long time. It all started with a spicy jalapeno martini and a selection of local raw oysters. The oysters were incredible! Each one was a different farm and each one was so divers. I can’t even describe how wonderful they were – I am without words. I followed that up with a cool glass of local brewed hefeweizen and a medium-rare slice of salmon. The fish was fresh and so well prepared. Then for the grand finale was a giant slice of local goat cheese cheesecake with honey comb and roasted hazelnuts. The honey was a perfect way to cut the rich, earthy goat cheese.

Vegan donuts from Mighty-O's in Seattle!!! Rings of blueberry, raspberry, French toast and other stuff I can't remember the name ofSnack/Dessert -Mighty-O Donuts – Completely vegan and organic donuts, only in Seattle! These cake donuts, topped with seasonal ingredients, are animal by-product-free, chemical preservatives-free, hydrogenated oil-free, coloring & artificial flavors-free and cholesterol-free. Being completely vegan makes them taste-tastic for the dairy-free foodie! Loved the seasonal fruity flavors like raspberry and blueberry. The crowd favorite is the French Toast and it was a cinnamon-y, sweet treat. I ate them over 2 days which made my belly have 2 days of sweet treats!
Blueberry donutRaspberry DonutFrench toast donutPB & chocolate donut

 

 

 

BTW – The featured picture at the top is the famous gum wall – looks gross and smells even grosser.

Permalink to Surviving a “Surprise” Weekend When You are a Controlling Bitch

Surviving a “Surprise” Weekend When You are a Controlling Bitch

by WanderSouth|on April 16, 2011 |in Confessional, North Carolina, Travel Tips |tagged , , |5 Comments
Surviving a

“Surprise! I’m taking you on a romantic weekend” should have been music to my ears. How many movies have the romantic lead sweeping his lady off to a smoochy locale at the drop of the hat? Well, for a girl who likes to plan (read: borderline control freak) this announcement sent me down a stress spiral.

“Where are we staying?” I squeaked out, my mind already beginning to race.

“Oh, I don’t know yet.” Brian says sheepishly.

“Where is the dog staying?” I sneak a peek at a mapping app on my phone. “You know it’s, like, 4 hours away, right?”

“When are we leaving?” My brain jumps to all my to dos. I need to cancel a double date dinner that I’d been planning all week. I envision the look on our friend’s face when he walks into our sty of a home to take Herman for a walk. The girl guilt rushes in with visions of the messy house, undone laundry and bachelor-esk empty fridge all taunt me saying “nah-nah-na-na you can’t finish us this weekend.”

So – I cry. I cry because I’m ashamed that I can’t get excited. I cry because I have a lovely husband that would do something so lovely for me and I can’t appreciate him. I cry because I really just wanted to veg on the couch coming off a busy business travel month and coming weeks of presentations to prepare for and business to take care of. I cry because I’m a controlling bitch.

Brian had been planning all March to take me to Asheville for the weekend, a gorgeous mountain town in western North Carolina. On Friday afternoon he found a sleepy little artist’s retreat that boasted guests including Ernest Hemingway and John Steinbeck. He had found it as an option to bring your little dog Herman, but he was able to arrange a couple of visits from a friend in the neighborhood. He had even discovered that it was the start of the Festival of Flowers at Biltmore and got us tickets for Sunday as that was the nicer of the two days there. It was all set. We’d get up in the morning, he’d drive the four hours to get there and we’d have fun.

Really, Brian had thought of everything. I needed to give him more credit and be less of a bitch. Honestly, how he stays married to me is beyond me some days. There are other people in the world that can plan a weekend. And maybe, just maybe, everything doesn’t have to be planned out the nth degree.

I was also partly stressed about the surprise because for me, planning is most of the fun of a vacation. Heck, even in my work life I’d much rather plan and make a strategy than actually implement a project. I love the process of planning. I love the research and the discovery of all the cool things we could do.

With the surprise, I was missing out on this process, it was taken away from me. I was worried that we’d miss cool things to do. We’d miss yummy places to eat. Then Brian reminded me, we’re just four hours away. This is not our last trip to Asheville. We will be back if we miss something.

Then I realize that there will never a good weekend for a surprise. I’m overbooking myself and my husband. We always have something to do. Stress is why he planned this weekend. Okay, I buckle step into the abyss of a decision-free weekend.

Since Brian wanted to surprise me, I wanted him to continue controlling the decisions. I needed to let him do this. It would be good for me.

The long and short of it is that we had a wonderful weekend. We spent time as a loving, laughing couple with too many laugh out loud moments to count. Sweet quiet times that make me so happy that my husband is also my best friend. I am so thankful that he accepts me, controlling bitch and all.

I know I’m not the only woman, or man for that matter, that feels this controlling. I can’t be…right? Here are my tips on how to get over your controlling bitchy self and enjoy a surprise weekend:

  1. Prioritize details before you leave – Make sure that you do take care of the things that are most important so you can have a relaxing weekend, but prioritize them. I really needed to pick up the house so I felt okay with a friend seeing our home and so we could come back to something less messy. It’s okay to obsess, just get it done and put it out of mind.
  2. Really hold to the decision-free part - Brian and I are very communicative so we always come up with 2-3 options and discuss a conclusion. We were so used to this process that Brian often offered up options and let me make the final pick. I had to catch myself and say “Nope, decision-free weekend.” I needed to let go of my control. This also keeps up the surprise factor for the whole weekend.
  3. Communicate about your stress - Brian asked me if I was stressed about going away for the weekend and I said no, but he knew I meant yes. Once he gently called me on it I broke down. I was afraid of hurting his feelings, but I was emotionally crushed by his decision. We talked about it, I cried, it was very helpful.
  4. Breaking the pattern will help you see your weaknesses - Enjoying the planning and being in control of everything is exhausting. It is a weakness and a strength to have these character traits. Sure you know your course of action, but it can sometimes make for serious tunnel vision. Breaking up your pattern and trying a new way to doing things can help make your alpha personality traits stronger by seeing your weaknesses.

I survived the weekend with flying colors. We say lots of fabulous things and were very mentally relaxed when we came home. The eight hours of driving in 48-hours was a little physically taxing, but worth the memorable weekend.

I’m so thankful for my husband who was strong enough to do this for me. Survived a surprise, gosh, I am one crazy woman!

Permalink to Triangle Dining Guide v1

Triangle Dining Guide v1

by Dawn A Crawford|on July 10, 2010 |in Durham, Foodie, North Carolina, Raleigh, Travel Tips |tagged , , , , , , , |Leave a comment

As I’m sure we’ll have many new additions, I wanted to share a post I wrote for my other blog 52 Ways To… which outlined our doings on our March 2010 visit to the Triangle – Raleigh, Durham, Cary, Wake Forest, Chapel Hill, Research Triangle, etc. This is only version one, many more will be penned in the future.

Excerpt from “Living the Dream”

Favorite meal of the trip was at Poole’s Downtown Diner – I really love this place. It represents everything Raleigh to me. It’s a tiny diner with a tin ceiling and graphic words painted on the back wall. It’s a perfect balance of good olde south and modern. I had fried oysters and a kale side-dish. Local, well prepared and delicious.

Another favorite haunt is the Raleigh Times Bar. I love it because it used to be a newspaper office, I can almost hear the sharp sounds of typewriters tapping out the latest news. It also has great food. I had an amazing Country French Salad – pears, roasted beets, candied walnuts and goat cheese (special request). They also have an extensive beer list, which always gets a A+ from the Crawfords.

Best breakfast by far was a NOFO at the Pig. Really cute shop and restaurant serving up modern southern breakfasts. I had the special of pulled pork hash, poached eggs and biscuits along side a cup of black coffee with one packet of raw sugar.

A surprise favorite  was the Duck and Dumpling. Really inventive and tasty Asian food. We had a starter of dumplings and I had a dish with duck prepared very simply. It was so good because the duck was prepared unceremoniously, just like chicken. I liked that because usual duck is prepared so preciously that you feel bad eating the poor thing.

For some FANCY BBQ we went to The Pit. It was really good, but a little fancy for my barbecue tastes. Really liked the collard greens that I had…did I mention that I’m a southern girl trapped in a western girl’s  body?

In Durham, we met with a friend for drinks at the Pinhook which is a great, funky bar downtown. Then we took her advice and went to Dos Perros for dinner. It was a great upscale Mexican bistro. The most wonderful part of the meal was handmade churros with a rich, Mexican chocolate dipping sauce (MMMM!). A favorite lunch stop for us is Parker and Otis for a little bite. I had a rich egg salad sandwich and too much shopping.

We did stop in at the famous Sunrise Biscuit Kitchen – pretty dang good and the biscuits are made with shortening instead of butter (I’m lactose-intolerant so this is very good news). We got them take away, as it is the  only option, and stopped in the hippie-chic Caffe Driade for coffee and people watching.

Coffee was usually taken at The Morning Times. Nutty, rich coffee and simple morning pastries. Has a beautiful upstairs lounge, which we missed on our first trip, but enjoyed on the second.

Sweet Tweets