Wednesday, November 4, 2015

Just a Moment in Melbourne

So once again I have been really bad about posting updates on my blog. The good news is that the reason I haven't updated is because I have been really busy with work; making a TON of money. I promise I will do better in the future.

So about six weeks ago I went to Melbourne with a few friends for a long weekend; now I am finally going to tell you all about it. It wasn't exactly the weekend when we went because we had to schedule around work. All four of us worked Saturday night until about 2am then had to catch our flight out at 7am. Needless to say none of us really slept. As soon as we arrived in Melbourne we hit the ground running. Fortunately for us, one of the group members had a friend who lived in Melbourne so he picked us up from the airport and drove us around for the day. 


Our first stop of the day, Brighton Beach to take our tourist selfie with the colorful beach shacks

Once the selfies were taken we headed off to the Queen Victoria Market to browse and have a snack. Then we grabbed a beer at this cool bar under a bridge called Ponyfish Island bar. (Stupid me didn't take a photo of it) We continued to power through our sleep deprivation and caught the sunset from the Sky Tower. 


We had an amazing view of the city


Then for dinner we had a well balanced diet of pancakes and sugar
Hey it's vacation right? I can do what I want, it doesn't count in real life...

The next day was my favorite! We rented a car and drove part of the Great Ocean Road but saw some of the main highlights. It is an amazing drive with beautiful scenery the whole way. For some parts you drive along the coast and others you drive through a national park which is just amazing. 

12 Apostles

Loch Ard Gorge

For our last day I visited the Melbourne Zoo and went shopping at H&M. Then we met up with some other friends from work who were also in Melbourne and celebrated Laurie's birthday.


Wednesday was the day we were supposed to fly back to Melbourne but for some reason we forgot how to travel. In the morning we were just relaxing waiting for our flight (slightly hungover), then when we should have been leaving for the airport we decided it was a great time to get nachos. (They were delicious) We catch an uber to the airport and realize we only have an hour until the flight takes off. So we run into the airport and try to check in, turns out check in closes 45 minutes before the flight and our dumb selves didn't check in online like normal people. So we were stuck because the next available flight out was not until 630am the next day. We spent the next 3 hours searching for a new way home. Laurie and I ended up taking an all night bus home while Ignacio stayed. (Jerk got lucky and jumped on a flight home that night)

Things I would do differently:
  • Stay longer. Three and a half days just wasn't enough to see everything. I would have liked to spent two/three days alone just doing the great ocean road.
  • Go at a different time. We went in September and it was still super cold and unlucky for us it rained every day. If it had been a little warmer and less wet I would have enjoyed it so much more. 
  • Do a little research. Maybe I'm stupid but I thought the public transportation was a little confusing which made it difficult/expensive for us to get around.
Also, here is a video of the trip... Duh



Sunday, September 6, 2015

At the Risk of Sounding Cheesy...

FIND YOUR BLISS!

As my alarm sounded at 6am this Monday morning I did what I always do, hit snooze. Just ten more minutes and I will get up, I always promise myself.  But today I worked up enough courage to get out from under my warm blankets and get ready for all things, the gym! I found this amazing Groupon for a fight & fitness gym just 25 minutes walking from my apartment. I was drawn to this gym because they have Spartan race training and Muay Thai kickboxing (which I did a little back in college). Today was my first day giving it a shot, and it kicked. My. Ass! (I loved every second of it)

But to get to the point of why I wanted to write this blog is the feeling I had after the gym. You know those moments of clarity that just hit you and all of a sudden you feel awake? Like before that very moment you had just been a zombie going about your life but not really being present in it? Well, I had one of those moments walking home from the gym. I was all sweaty, walking through the CBD with my headphones on when Hold My Hand by Jess Glynne started playing and that wave of joy and contentment washed over me. People all around me rushing to work, sexy men in suits, students running to catch the bus, the sun bouncing off the skyscrapers, and I am in the center of it standing at a crosswalk tapping my foot to music. That’s when I realized, this is my bliss. Could this feeling all be because of that high you get after a good workout? Maybe, but don’t ruin my happiness with logic.

Some of you back home wonder why I love traveling so much, well here it is. For moments like the one I had today. Living in a foreign city, feeling both completely anonymous and part of a group at the exact same time. I am forced outside of my comfort zone in order to “survive” in this massive yet beautiful city. The thrill of moving here with no place to live and no source of income then the rush of relief when you find both. That first day of school feeling when you are unsure if you will make any friends and if they will want to sit by you at the lunch table or invite you to their slumber party. Then meeting so many new people from different backgrounds and feeling a kinship with some who share the same gypsy spirit as you. There are always highs and lows of traveling solo but the benefits are clear, at least for me. I feel like I am exactly where I am meant to be at this point in my life and its totes the best! ;-)

I guess the point I am trying to get at with this word vomit of emotional feels, is that through traveling I have learned more about myself than expected and I know what makes me happy. It’s not always peaches n cream, but chin up kids, find what makes you happy and do it, it’s that easy. If you are not happy in the situation you are in, change it, life is too short to be wasting time on things that don’t make you happy.


So that’s enough feels for one week… Also, I touched a kangaroo! AH



Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Update: Sydney Living 6 weeks Deep


So I have been really bad about updating everyone on how my life is going here in Sydney. In all fairness I haven't really done a ton of exciting stuff. It took me about a month to find a job and then another week to get started so most days have consisted of me sitting around the house and job searching (It's hard trying not to spend what money I have saved). Of course I have gone out drinking on the weekends but that isn't very news worthy.  Anyways, so I have officially started working at an event center as part of the waitstaff. It's casual work so I never know what my schedule is going to be like each week, which kind of stinks but I get paid really well. I am hoping to find a second job that is also casual so between the two I can work about 35 hrs a week.


A couple weeks ago I went to the Tower Eye and saw some amazing views of the city at night. I guess I didn't realize how massive the city actually was.


Also, after my first few days at my new job, I discovered I was allergic to my new work shoes! AHH I had cankles! It was actually really itchy and burned like a mofo for a few days, but I exchanged the shoes and after a few days my elephantiasis went away.

My body seriously hates me....

This past Sunday I was able to enjoy the beautiful weather at the Royal National Park. We walked along some cliffs next to the water, chilled on a beach and drank some Corona's. It was an amazing day, maybe one of the best I have had here so far. The water was beautiful shades of blue and green and the sun was shining with only a few clouds in the sky. 



It felt good to be outside, enjoying the beautiful landscape that Australia has to offer.


I can't wait to have more opportunities to explore this amazing country. 

So that pretty much sums up my first 6 weeks here in Sydney. Now that I have a job and am settled in to life here, hopefully I will have the opportunity to explore new and amazing places around Sydney and beyond. Peace and love until next time.

Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Moving Down Under

So I have just finished up my first week of living in Sydney.  I haven't done much in the way of tourism because I have been busy apply for jobs and acquiring the right documents in order to get these said jobs.  I did however one day stumble up the harbor and the Sydney Opera House. It is most definitely as cool as it looks in pictures, now I would love to go see an actual show there.

The first week flew by so quickly because when I arrived on Tuesday, in order to stay awake, I applied for a couple jobs on a site called gumtree.  By that afternoon I had been emailed back by one company about an interview. I really had no idea what this job was all about because the description was very vague, but hey a jobs a job so I went for the interview on Wednesday. I thought the interview went terrible because it was the first time since I was 15 that I was in a group interview (weird).  Apparently, I looked more together than I thought because I got the job and on Thursday I was back for training. Turns out though that this job was essentially a door-to-door sales job and I am most definitely not about that life.  Yet, I stayed because I figured I could stick it out for a few months just so I could make a little cash then find a better job.  By Friday I learned that this was not the case at all. We had in the field training and I was miserable! I hated it so much that once I was on my own I hid in a bush so I didn't have to knock on any more peoples doors (I'm an idiot I know).  So after that work day I let the manager know that this job was not for me and went back to the internet to apply for more jobs. 
Throughout the week I was also apartment hunting and on Saturday morning after some very bleak tours I found my new home. It is a roomshare in Pyrmont, right next to Darling Harbor. I have five other roommates (don't worry dad, all girls) and a pretty  nice view of the city. Even though I quit my job I still jumped on this apartment because I was ready to get settled into the city. Luckily I saved up enough money back home that I have a nice little cushion to help me through until I find a job. 

Until next time, keep it classy people!


Tuesday, June 2, 2015

A Parents Perspective on their Traveling Kid

Fortunately for me (sometimes not so fortunate) my mother is always brutally honest with me. I generally always know her opinion on my life choices. Generally, her opinion doesn't sway me one way or the other but that doesn't stop her from telling me. In this situation, it is nice to hear that even though she doesn't fully understand my love for travel, like why I would enjoy sweating it out in the jungle or living in a house with 35 people and one working shower, she still supports me. If you are ever wondering what your parents think of your travels, it's best to just ask! Their answers might surprise you. Here is what I asked my mother:


Tuesday, May 12, 2015

BIG NEWS: I am Moving Down Under

That's right! It is finally official! I am moving to Australia this summer (their winter, I am a poor planner). I will be leaving June 21st and have a full year visa, so I can work and live anywhere in their country. I have no plans yet because like I mentioned before, I am horrible at planning in advance. I am super proud of myself because I managed to get my visa approved 6 weeks before I actually leave. My vague sense of a plan is to fly into Sydney, stay in a hostel, find a job, then find an apartment. I need to get that money before I can afford to live in an apartment for $200 a week.
I just wanted to post a quick little blurb about this exciting news! If you didn't know I also have a vlog on youtube where I post videos about travel and my life! I like to think I am somewhat of a better vlogger than blogger, but that's really not saying much. Check it out! Subscribe to my channel! I will be a lot more active on both this blog and my youtube channel once I start traveling again!


Monday, April 20, 2015

Backpacking Central America // Top 10

I decided this week to rewind to last summer when I went to Belize, Guatemala, and El Salvador with my old roommate from college.  I haven’t been travelling much these past few months because I have been saving for my big move to Australia! So I haven’t had many interesting things to post on here.

So this is just going to be a kind of free for all of information that I think might be useful for anyone travelling to these areas.  Before we arrived our only set plans were to fly into Belize City and fly out of Guatemala City, that’s it. We didn’t want to make any set plans so we could just go wherever, whenever and stay as long as we felt like it.  When we landed in Belize City we didn’t know where we would be staying that night. We just picked the cheapest taxi ride and went that direction.

Belize Top 5

5.  Dirty McNasty’s Hostel in Caye Caulker. This hostel only really sticks out in my mind because I got a really bad sun burn and they came in for the save with air conditioned rooms. I might have had a touch of sun poisoning so the A/C was my savior. It also had a really cool vibe and served free rum punch each night so all the guests could hang out.

4.  Private Cave Tour in Belmopan.  We stayed in this great hostel called the Hummingbird Guest Lodge that included free meals! The owner asked if we wanted to see a cave, so he took us on our own private tour of some cave he knew about and then dropped us off at the blue hole national park where there is a sink hole you can swim in. Naturally we were fed fruit and beer for lunch, and the owner was super friendly and I glad we had a chance to be shown around by a local.


3.  Iguana Project in San Ignacio. It was a little further of a walk than we had anticipated from our hostel in the main part of town, but it was definitely worth it! The Iguana Project is part of a hotel, but they take you in small groups down to where they take care of the Iguanas.  After a brief introduction they take you inside the cages and you get to feed the adult Iguanas. The guide will pick up the iguanas and place them on you so they can crawl around and eat the leaves.  Then you are moved over into the baby section.  They are so cute and tiny you can hold them in the palm of your hand! But once again they throw them all over you so you are covered in baby iguanas. It was so much fun!

2.  Tsunami Adventures in Caye Caulker. We went snorkeling through this company and it was amazing! We saw a manatee, turtles, stingrays, and Nurse Sharks. If getting up close and personal with all those amazing sea creatures isn’t enough, they also take you around the island and give you food and rum punch. Important: NO MATTER WHO YOU SNORKEL THROUGH, WEAR A T-SHIRT BECAUSE YOU WILL GET BURNT! (A rash guard shirt/drifit shirt works best) I learned that lesson the hard way.  I thought I was doing a great job reapplying the sunscreen every time I got back on the boat. The only problem with this method was that my skin wasn’t dry when I applied it and I would be jumping back in the water for more snorkeling before it had a chance to soak in. I am pretty positive I had a little sun poisoning.

1.  Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) Tour from San Ignacio.  I honestly can’t remember what tour company we went through for the ATM tour because there were so many places we walked into for pricing (Unhelpful I know).  It was about an hour and a half drive from San Ignacio to the site where we began our tour. We had an amazing tour guide who had all sorts of information about rocks, caves, water, vegetation, and even the types of animals/insects living inside the cave.  The best part about his cave tour other than the great information was all the climbing around we did and there were actual skeletons still in the cave that you could see up close! It was amazing and creepy at the same time.  The fact that they leave everything the way they found it makes it a living museum and you get this cool yet eerie effect. I wish I had pictures or video to share but that is one strict rule they have on tour. No Camera’s! (If you google the cave, you can see some pictures and get an idea because people used to be able to take in camera’s).



Guatemala Top 5

5.  Semuc Champey Tour from Lanquin. We took a half-day tour through our hostel (El Muro) where we hiked up to see Semuc Champey, went tubing, and had the opportunity to jump off a bridge… (This was one of those moments you could finally answer your mothers favorite question, “If your friend jumped off a bridge would you follow?”)  The main reason this is ranked so low on my list is because the day before we celebrated my birthday so we had to struggle through with massive hangovers.  We didn’t realize we had to hike straight up hill for 45 minutes or that we would have to climb up a waterfall inside a cave.  It was definitely a very adventurous tour that we were just not mentally prepared for (also I thought I was going to go into liver failure or something dramatic because I felt so sick).  Also, another issue we had with the tour was that there were just too many people, we felt like cattle being herded through the cave and the tour guides could be pushy.  Overall, it was fun but there were many times I thought I might die. Moral of the story: Don’t do this tour hung over or if you are afraid of heights.

4. Los AmgiosHostel in Flores. I don’t know what it was about this hostel that I loved so much but it was one of my favorites for the whole trip.  They had a restaurant and a bar inside and you could book all sorts of tours.  We had a great time socializing with friends we had met along the way and they even had this crazy sound proof room that you could drink in at night so the neighbors wouldn't be disturbed.  Also, the small island of Flores was cute and had a few fun things to do during the day.

3.  Tikal Tour from Flores. There are many different times the tours take place and a lot of people pick the sunrise tour.  We decided against it because many travelers told us it was so foggy in the mornings to actually see the sunrise. We opted for the 9am tour so we could still be out there before it gets too hot. It was an amazing tour with intelligent guides.  Even though we were out there at 11am it had already begun to get hot, like up in the 90s. Once the guided tour was over you could stay as long as you wanted because there were shuttles taking people back to Flores every 45 min. It is a great place to explore and you can even climb up some of the temples for an amazing view!

2.  Volcano Pacaya. You have to do it! There are no words to describe the beautiful views from the top. Also at the top there is an area where you can roast marshmallows over hotspots (I think even my sneakers melted a little).  I could go on forever but this post is already too long, so just take my word for it and hike this bad boy.


1. Antigua. Everything about this city makes it my number one pick for this list. From the beautiful old architecture to the nightlife, there is nothing disappointing about Antigua.  There is something for everyone in this quaint old town.  There are history museums so you can learn about the culture, you can hike a hill for the perfect overlook of the whole town, there is even shopping to be done.  I have not yet mastered the art of haggling but this town was a great place to practice, I bought a ton of amazing stuff to take back to my family.  Did I mention the nightlife? You would think this small town would be sleepy on a Wednesday night but instead they had ladies night at some of the bars and it seemed like it was the place to be.  There are tons of places to eat, drink, and dance to every genre of music. It didn’t hurt that I ran into my friend from Ireland (good lord the Irish really know how to throw them back).  If you can only visit one or two places in Guatemala, Antigua should be at the top of your list.


Monday, March 23, 2015

Why you Should Volunteer in South Africa

It is really hard to put into words all the reasons why you should volunteer in South Africa. I think it is because living there for four months had such a profound effect on my life. The children at Christian David stole my heart, and the countries culture, people, and landscape enraptured my soul.
Check out my video below, which shows you some of the great things about Volunteering with Dreams to Reality in Muizenberg, South Africa.


So I am actually on a cruise this week in the caribbean which is why I decided to make this video now. Honestly, I think about going back to South Africa at least once a month if not more. There is just so much more of the world I want to explore as well, which is the only thing keeping me from returning right now. If you are interested in volunteering, I posted a link to the IVHQ page below. IVHQ is who you can book your volunteer program through for a discounted price, but THEY ARE NOT THE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM. Dreams to Reality is actually who you will be volunteering with and I posted a link to their site as well. If you have any questions about my time in South Africa please leave a comment below, or you can get my email from the "about" section.

Link to IVHQ's page:
https://www.volunteerhq.org/

Link to DTR:
http://www.dreamstoreality.co.za/

Monday, March 16, 2015

Tips and Tricks for Bourbon Street

Bourbon street can be a lot of fun, but it can also get dangerous quickly.  You should know your limits and pace yourself unless you want to end up a sloppy mess, curled up in a piss puddle.  The best advice I can give you... DON'T drink a bunch of the hurricanes/hand grenades or any other sugary drink they try to push on you.  Those drinks are not only full of sugar, which will make you really sick, but a lot of them are made with Everclear which usually has a really high alcohol percentage.  With the amount of sugar in these drinks it takes longer to feel the effects of the alcohol so people will make the mistake of drinking them too quickly, then getting smacked in the face with the effects later. If you want to last more than an hour I suggest everyone in your group buys a different sugary drink and then you all share, so you can try each popular drink known down on Bourbon street.  Then you should switch to beer or a low sugar cocktail you are used to, at least for a couple hours.  Then if you really enjoyed the frozen drinks of death, you can go for a round two.  Originally, I had suspected that the mixed drinks like the Hurricane or Hand Grenade were going to be a rip off and be super stingy on the alcohol... this is not the case, I promise you there is enough in one drink to get you a good start for the night.  I like to think I can hold my own when it comes to drinking so please take this advice seriously. DO NOT RUSH THE DRINKING. Trust me, you will enjoy the night so much more if you pace yourself and take in the aromas of Bourbon street, which includes a good mixture of shame, regret, horse shit, and hot dogs.



Now that the "manage your alcohol intake" lecture is over, here are some other tips and tricks for Bourbon street:

1. Bring cash! Most bars have a $10 minimum if you use a card, plus they will charge you and extra fee (about $2/$3) to swipe it.

2. Watch where you walk! There are big piles of steaming horse shit all over the street. I stepped in some myself.. not fun.

3. A lot of bars will not let you bring in an open container from another bar so be prepared to hang out in the street while everyone finishes.

4. Beer is super expensive ($6 for a bottle miller light) so make sure to pregame before you go. Or move on over to Frenchman street where you can listen to some amazing live jazz and the beers are a little cheaper ($5 for bottled miller light).

5. Make sure you are wearing the right clothes for the weather. We were there in February so jeans and a jacket were necessary, plus a lot of the bars where very open so you didn't burn up inside.

6. Finally, know how you are getting home. If you are in walking distance, brilliant! otherwise, the street cars stop running around 3am so if you miss the last one, your only other option is a cab.  Cabs can be pricey depending how far you are going, plus they know they have a monopoly in that area because your drunk ass has no other option. For a potentially cheaper option, try Uber. It wasn't necessary for us to get around by Uber so I don't even know if it is a big thing down there, but hey worth a look.

**Bonus Tip: EAT A LUCKY'S HOT DOG on the walk home or to the street car. Seriously it will change your drunk life.

I hope you enjoyed this post, and found it helpful in one way or another. I love you hear about your story if you have already experienced Bourbon Street, or if you have any questions please leave a comment below!

Red Velvet Out.

*Oh yea P.S. here's a link to my video: Things to Do and See in New Orleans Part 2: 

Monday, March 9, 2015

There is more to New Orleans than Bourbon Street and Strip Clubs


About two weeks ago my friend Kourtney and I took a trip down to New Orleans.  This would be my first time visiting the city and I was totes excited! Taking it back to Kourtney for a minute, she is one of my best friends from college and somehow I convinced her to spend a week with my crazy ass.  Even though I am older than her, she is definitely the mom (but like a cool mom) of this duo.  She is wiser, kinder, and much more literate than I will ever be so if you want to read something actually good about our trip to New Orleans and other important topics, you can check out her blog here:
So here it goes a complete review and break down of our trip to New Orleans...

Where we stayed:
When I first told Kourtney we were staying in a Hostel she was worried. I reassured her that the Nola Jazz House had a good rating on hostelworld.com and that at least from the pictures it looked pretty nice. I also arrived a day earlier than her so I sent her some pictures before she arrived.  The Nola Jazz House was seriously top notch. It was in a decent location as long as you don't mind a short streetcar ride (which only costs $3 for a day pass). They had free parking out front of the hostel which was nice for Kourtney since she drove in from Mississippi. The most important part... HOT SHOWERS! This might seem odd but I have been in many hostels (mostly in other countries) that do not have hot water and shower is just miserable.  Another exciting perk that they have is a free pancake breakfast. Now after a week of eating pancakes, I never want to see one again, but it is a great way to save money on at least one meal a day.  They also had a kitchen fully equipped and since Kourtney and I were trying to make this trip as cheap as possible, we decided to cook (microwave) a few dinners throughout the week at the hostel. The staff was AMAZING, I seriously can't say enough great things about them.  They were super friendly and always eager to help. We stayed in the 10 person mixed dorm room which was the cheapest option.  I actually enjoyed staying in the room because we ended up becoming friends with a lot of the people staying in there.  They also had lockers in the room and hallways so you could lock up valuables, and all the rooms were very clean. They had a cleaning staff come every day to make sure the bathrooms, rooms, and beds were refreshed.  Finally, and for some the most important thing: free WiFi, and not just free WiFi but like a solid connection that didn't make you want to pull your hair out.  Overall I would give the Nola Jazz House a 99% rating.

How to get around New Orleans
If you don't have a car, never fear the jazzy pass is here! The street cars are a great way to get around the city. You can buy day passes straight from the streetcar or you can buy a 3,5, or 31 day pass at the vending machines. Some of the vending machines are located at specific bus stops or you can find them in local Walgreen's stores.The "Jazzy Pass" is good for any RTA transportation so you can use it an unlimited number of times on the street cars or buses. Here is their website if you would like to look up a little more information on it. JAZZY PASS
Parking near the French Quater is outrageously expensive so your best bet is to take public transit.  Obviously, a car isn't really necessary in New Orleans, but it is nice if you want to get out of the city for a day. Kourtney and I drove out to the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve one day to check out the alligators and we drove ourselves to our swamp tour which was about 40 minutes away.

Night Life
Even though there is more to New Orleans than the night life, it is still pretty fun to experience. All over the French Quarter you can find fun places to drink like down Frenchman street.  They had amazing live bands and dueling pianos, also it doesn't hurt that the beers were a little cheaper than on Bourbon street.  The great thing about New Orleans is that there is a ton of free stuff to do, you just have to look! We went to a free DJ competition (not really our scene) that was actually a lot of fun AND they were giving out free stuff. There were two different free open mic night/comedy club events, one was at the hi-ho lounge which had its good and horribly bad acts, the other we ended up not going to but it is still a regular thing that happens at the Howlin' Wolf on Thursdays. Now don't get me wrong Bourbon street is definitely something you have to do, if you are of legal drinking age, at least once while you are there. You feel like a real rebel walking down the street with your open container and just waiving at the police officers sitting on their horses. All kinds of music is pouring out of every bar. anything from jazz, blues, r&b, and even today's top pop charts. There are also plenty of strip clubs you can wander into if that is your thing... no judgement, I almost went into a male strip club just to say I did it... then I realized there was a cover AND a one drink minimum... who do I look like Oliver Warbucks?! I'm stingy and am not going to waste valuable drinking money to watch some dude swing his ding-a-ling around like a helicopter. thanks i'll pass. Where we ended up staying most of the night was this amazing karaoke bar called The Cats Meow. We stayed there dancing and singing along past 2am. Now I could go on and on about bourbon street, but I wont, at least not in this post. Next week when I post part 2 of my vlog video I think I will post some safety tips and tricks on here so you can have fun and last more than two hours down on Bourbon Street.



Free (almost free) Stuff to Do
As I said before there is a ton of free (super cheap) stuff do do in New Orleans, even during the day.  Some of the free stuff Kourtney and I hit up were the Louis Armstrong Park (Nice to walk through for a few minutes and get some quick pictures), the St. Louis Cemetery (Kinda creepy but also really awesome, I highly recommend), just walking around the French Quarter or through the Garden District (Highly recommend both), Jackson Square, and the St Louis Cathedral.  Also in the French Quarter there is a market with booths set up for you graze through and on Wednesdays there is also a fresh food market. I would also recommend visiting Pepper Palace to taste some amazing hot sauces and BBQ sauces, but be careful I ended up walking with 3 bottles of sauces because its that good! Another must do is to share a beignet at Cafe Du Monde, they were delicious and you get more than enough to share between two people.  There is also a $2 ferry (one way) to Algiers Pier where you can get a good view of the New Orleans skyline and visit a glass blowing shop to watch them create beautiful pieces.

WWII Museum
One place you MUST visit while in New Orleans is the WWII museum. Seriously, do it. And plan to spend hours going through all the displays and buildings. There is a reason it is the 11th ranked museum in the world. It is worth the money (even though I semi talked our way into the exhibit for free). We only got to spend a short amount of time in the museum and didn't get to check out everything it had to offer, but I could have easily spent the whole day in there.
Food, Food Eat it ALL!!
You can't visit New Orleans without eating all of their amazing food. It doesn't matter were you get it but if you leave New Orleans without trying gumbo, jambalaya, and pralines I will personally come slap you.  Kourtney and I decided to knock all three out at the New Orleans School of Cooking with I will talk about in a minute. One place you have to visit is Arabella's Casa di Pasta (I know, I know, it has nothing to do with Cajun or Creole food, but trust me) it is an amazing Italian cafe where you can essentially build your own pasta dish with fresh, made at location, pasta and sauces. Seriously, best. pasta. ever! And don't even get me started on their canolli's. You can try a Po boy if you wish but I didn't really see what the big deal was. It is essentially a sub sandwich on Italian bread. Unfortunately we were not there in the right season to get a good craw fish boil but I heard it is delicious... so do me a favor and go down in the warmer months, try it out and let me know if it is as good as they say.

Cooking Class
As I mentioned before Kourtney and I went to a cooking class at the New Orleans School of Cooking.  We learned all about the secrets behind cooking gumbo, jambalaya and pralines. Both the gumbo and jambalaya was made with andouille sausage which was on point! mmhmm. Big Kevin was our chef and he was amazing, he gave us a lot of useful information and had a brilliant sense of humor (which I can always appreciate).  It was only $25 for the class and becuase we got to eat the food after it was cooked, it doubled as our dinner for the night. (We are so thrifty that way)



Swamp Tour
Finally, the one and only tour Kourtney and I took. It was a swamp tour through Cajun Encounters. Unfortunately, it was cold all week because a cold front had come through the south so we didn't get to see any alligators... sigh. But we still saw wild pigs, raccoons, birds, and the vegetation was beautiful even though it hadn't bloomed yet. The tour guide was friendly, talkative, and willing to answer any and all questions.  This tour was only $25 because we drove ourselves to their location but it was definitely worth the money! I would just suggest going in the warmer months so all the flowers and trees are in full bloom and you will have a better chance to see more wildlife like the massive alligators they claim to have. (They will pick you up if you don't have a car, it just costs more)

So that was our week trip to New Orleans it was an amazing time and I would love to have the chance to go back when it is nicer weather! I hope this information gives you a good idea about New Orleans and if you have any questions feel free to leave a comment below. I would love to hear what your favorite part of New Orleans was.

Also, here is part 1 of my vlog of the trip! Part 2 coming next Monday along with my tips and tricks to surviving Bourbon Street!

Monday, March 2, 2015

Epic Snow Day


So I was going to post about New Orleans this week but instead I have decided to share a video of the fun I had playing in the snow this weekend. I returned home from New Orleans and it snowed another couple inches on top of the snow we already had, I was bored, so this happened... So here it is, a video of me being a grown child after it snowed... Deal with it.


I will post about New Orleans next week in a two part vlog where I will be reviewing and commenting on everything I did while I was down there. Along with some advice, tips, tricks, etc. that I learned along the way.


Monday, February 23, 2015

Tips for Packing

So over on my YouTube channel I posted a video about weird stuff I do while packing for trips. I will admit I am not the best packer in the world. But I have picked up a few tips and tricks along the way to help me make it through the packing process semi-gracefully. If I have learned anything from my various travel adventures in the past two years it is that THERE IS NO PERFECT PACKING LIST. I don't care how vigorously you search through the bottomless pit that is pinterest (although it is a brilliant place to get all sorts of information on everything travel), you will never find a packing list that is perfect for you, your style, and every climate you could potentially encounter. With that being said there is a rough outline that you can follow in order to make sure you have everything that you need without overpacking. You just have to remember to ask yourself these important questions.

So here it is:

First: What is your luggage situation?
- Small carry on, a duffel bag, backpack, garbage bag? Once you have figured that out you can then pack accordingly.

Second: What is the forecasted weather at your destination?
- Arid desert, impending monsoon season, are you heading into a blizzard or that perfect 75 and sunny San Fransico weather? (PS screw you San Fran, we can't all be so awesome)

Third: How long is this trip going to last?
- Is it just a quick weekend trip, month long hiatus, or a year long adventure?

Fourth: What kind of activities will you be participating in?
- Will you be chillaxing on a beach, hiking everest, or drinking and dancing your way through any and every club that will allow your sloppy, drunk ass into?

*The devil is in the details people!*

Once you have answered these important questions, you should have a pretty decent idea of what you need to pack. Now for the hard part... not over packing. You should always leave room in your suitcase whether you are travelling for 2 weeks or a year. That way you will have plenty of room for souviners and any extra clothes you might pick up along the way. If you are looking for an exact estimate of how many: shirts, pants, skirts, dresses you should pack you have come to the wrong place. You are just going to have to sort that out for yourself (which is made a lot easier if you answer the four previously listed questions). Here is a list of random items that I have forgotten over the years or found to be useful in many situations.

Items Not to Forget:

  • Underwear/bras/socks (This might seem obvious, but I have often overlooked all three before in my hasty attempt to pack.)
  • Power cords (There is nothing worse than trying to explore a foreign city for a week with a dead cellphone.)
  • Fabric softener sheets (They help keep your clothes smelling fresh if you strategically place them throughout your suitcase AND you can use them on your hair to get the static out.)
  • A combination lock (This is pretty self explanatory)
  • Plastic Bags (Anti-spillage, dirty/stinky clothes, keeps important stuff dry)

Other Random Tips/Tricks for packing:
  • Pack clothes that are versatile (The more clothes you can mix and match, the longer you can go without doing laundry )
  • Layer up (pack less bulky clothes and instead, if you are cold, wear layers)
  • Accessorizing is a MUST (pack your jewlery in pill bottles or bead boxes so they wont get tangled or broken)
  • Finally, don't be like me and procrastinate packing until the last minute. Make sure all your clothes are washed and you are packed and ready to go the night before you leave. That way you are not scrambling around hours before your flight, stressing about what you might have forgotten to pack.

If you really need a break down of what to pack for any location in the world, there is no site better than: http://travelfashiongirl.com/packing-lists/ ... Seriously you will never need to read another packing blog again. Not even mine.

Friday, February 20, 2015

Nola Bound!


Today I am leaving the bitter cold in Cincinnati, Ohio and heading to New Orleans, Louisiana. I will be meeting up with my friend Kourtney who lives in Mississippi. I somewhat spontaneously booked this flight because it was only $150 round trip through Allegiant! What a steal! Of course, you have to be careful because they will nickle and dime you on the small things like costs of carry on baggage and drinks in flight. Also, don't be shocked when you finally sit down in your seat and instantly feel like you are packed in like some sardines in a tin can on their way to a Caesar salad. It's ridiculous, my elbows are tucked into my gut right now trying to type because my surface is as wide as my seat and with the keyboard attached it has to be turned sideways on my lap to fit. But hey, you get what you pay for and all the flight attendants seem super friendly. Hat off to you Alligiant, I appreciate the super cheap flight, and the $50 rebate. Two thumbs up!

We will be spending a week in New Orleans exploring anything and everything that is free (because we are broke, just out of college kids, with student debt up to our eyeballs). Obviously there will be lots of drinking, eating, an dancing involved as well, because there is no way I am flying all the way down there and not experiencing bourbon street and all it has to offer. Lets not even get started on how excited I am to try authentic Cajun and creole food. Let the good times begin!

This flight smells like feet... and no it's not me, I left my shoes on.

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Time to Answer all the 'Whys?'


Why is your blog name Red Velvet To Go? It’s really not an interesting story but it all began back when I was in college. My roommate and I went out to the bars for some casual drinks on a Tuesday night. For obvious reasons, the bar was pretty dead so we started chatting up the bartender and taking one too many shots. We were feeling frisky and decided to come up with drunk alter egos.  The bartender dubbed me Red Velvet and it has become my drunk alter ego ever since. Most recently my new hobby at work is to convince my colleagues and bosses, with elaborate stories, that I had to strip through college in order to pay the bills and Red Velvet was actually my stripper name. I can tell that some of them actually believe me, I don’t know whether that makes me a good story teller or someone who looks like they stripped through college. Either way I will take it as a win. So to make this explanation even longer, I decided Red Velvet was the name to use for my blog/vlog because not only is my drunk alter ego sassy and eccentric, but I am also such a foodie when I travel. That pretty much sums up what my blog is going to be about as well.

Why do you think you are interesting enough to write a blog? Really this blog is not my main focus. I am actually going to focus on vlogging but use this page to write additional information if necessary and to share my videos. Either way I am not really doing this because I think I am interesting and have all this amazing information to share. Really it just looks like fun and an easy way to keep in touch with my massive family while I travel. This brings me to the topics I will be covering in both my blog and vlog. I promise it won’t always be me rambling as I have in this post (learning curve people). Since graduating college I have developed a passion for traveling. It really doesn't matter where I go as long as it is somewhere new.  My plan is to share my limited knowledge, yet outside the box perspective, on everything travel. Topics from how I pack a week’s worth of clothes in a carry on to annoying things people do on airplanes. Also, I plan on moving to Australia in June so I’m sure I can come up with some exciting and helpful things to talk about while preparing for that adventure.

Why Should you continue to check out my posts? Honestly, I don’t have a great answer for you yet, but hey even if this was the worst blog you have ever read, it can only go up from here. So give me a second, third, maybe even a fourth chance to win you over with my sparkling personality and stupid sense of humor.

If you have actually made it through this entire post and want to watch my first ever vlog here’s the link below! (I promise I will do my best to improve my blogging/vlogging skills!)