Another week, another express work-cation, this time to Chicago in the mid-west. I'd been to Chicago a few times before, including for a hot 16 hours last July 4 and back in 1994 during one of my very first trip to the United States. Despite having a lot of meetings, I tried to squeeze in as much sight-seeing as I could in 36 hours, including catching the Van Gogh's Bedrooms exhibit at the Art Institute of Chicago. And eating of course... Here are some of my favourites from my express “work-cation” in Chicago: LIQUID ENERGY AT INTELLIGENTSIA COFFEE First things first after a 6AM flight from Reagan to O'Hare, I needed caffeine! But not just any coffee would do. I wanted some Intelligentsia ...
Travel
♬ Magnolias for Ever ♪
Des magnolias par centaines | Des magnolias comme autrefois Je ne sais plus comment faire | Les magnolias sont toujours là Current mood today: Claude François for ever! Magnolias will do that to ya ;-) I was looking forward to the beginning of peak bloom for the Washington, DC cherry blossoms this weekend, but the National Park Service has revised the date and pushed it Wednesday March 23-Thursday March 24. Currently blooming, however, are the stunning saucer magnolia trees at the Smithsonian's Enid A. Haupt Garden (right behind the Smithsonian castles.) I think these will hold me over for a few days ;-) ...
Tips for Enjoying Cherry Blossom Season In DC
Spring is coming! Every year the highlight of the season in Washington is, of course, the annual blooming of the district's 3,000 Yoshino cherry trees. The whole town gets cherry fever and hundreds of thousands of tourists (and locals too) descend on the Tidal Basin and the National Mall to admire the delicate white and pink flowers. This year, peak bloom will hit between March 18-23, 2 weeks earlier than originally anticipated due to the recent warm temperatures. This means most of the National Cherry Blossom Festival, which runs from March 20 to April 17, will probably happen sans-blossom. Regardless, here are a few tips for navigating this huge Washington, DC event. SET YOUR ...
Postcard from NYC: 5 Things I Ate Last Week
Other than a week in Portugal for Thanksgiving, I don't have a lot of trips planned this year. At least not fun trips... So I'm determined to make the most out every single work trip I have, starting with the one I just took last week to New York City. And that, of course, includes enjoying some good eats around town. There's no shortage of restaurants in Manhattan. If anything the options are limitless and a bit overwhelming when you don't have a lot of free time. Since I stayed at the Roosevelt Hotel in Midtown many of the spots I ended up at are concentrated in that part of town. Here are some of my favourite eats from my last "work-cation" in New York City: ALL THE PINK PASTRIES AT ...
Postcard from New York: Going to A Late Show Taping
Here's something free and unique to do if you have a spare afternoon in New York City: attend the live taping of a late (or late-late) night talk-show! I say afternoon, because a) while the shows air in the evening, tapings typically happen earlier that day b) even though you have to book your tickets in advance, there's a lot of waiting around in lines involved before you can actually take your place in the audience. Here’s what my experience attending a live taping of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” was like. But first, why The Late Show with Stephen Colbert? I actually watch the show every day and I absolutely love Stephen Colbert. I love his smart humour, and think his guests tend ...
Postcard from Philadelphia ~ 5 Free Things To Do in the City of Brotherly Love
We're spoiled here in Washington that most of our museums and historical attractions are completely free, making DC a very wallet-friendly destination for tourists and locals playing tourists. Like Washington, and just a quick bus or train ride away, Philadelphia is also rich in history and pretty affordable to explore, so long as you're willing to put up with some lines ;-) Here are a few budget-friendly things to do in America's former capital... VISIT AMERICA'S MOST IMPORTANT HISTORICAL SITES Bonus: they're all conveniently located within a square mile. Between 1790 and 1800, while the Federal City (<-- DC) was under construction, Philadelphia got to be the temporary capital of the ...
How ‘Bout Them Apples? Discovering Loudoun County’s Cideries
When I first moved to the United States, the only cider that was "widely" available was Vermont-based Woodchuck or Boston's Angry Orchard, fruity beverages that dominated the American cider scene back then. In recent years though, the refreshing and light apple-based drink has exploded here. As craft beer became increasingly popular, cider's appeal also rose, particularly as an alternative to beer for those who can't drink (especially those who are gluten intolerant) or those who just don't like the taste of it. Fast forward to 2016, and cider is definitely having a moment in America! And that includes in the state of Virginia, of course (I mean, Jefferson grew apples at Monticello and ...
Postcard from (snowy) Washington, DC ~ Jonas 2016 Edition
Exactly a month ago, we were celebrating Christmas in t-shirts. Well, the warm spell is over! Winter has (finally) arrived and mother nature made up for loss time by blanketing the north east with a pretty thick coat of snow. According to the National Weather Service, 57 cm (22.4 inches) fell in Washington, DC at the National Zoo (much to the delight of our giant panda Tian Tian) which was enough to shut down the federal government, metro and pretty much the entire city. We don't do well with snow here ;-) While I did brave the snow to toast Mandu's fifth anniversary on Friday night, it snowed really hard for most of Saturday so I locked myself up indoors and watched the blizzard with my ...
Postcard from Philladelphia: Mural Mile
I didn't venture too far for my first trip of 2016. Philadelphia is just an hour and half away from New York by train and less than two hours from Washington, so my NYC bestie Caitlin and I met up halfway for a quick early January birthdays day-trip in the City of Brotherly Love. Neither one of us had visited the new Barnes Foundation so we had agreed to make the new-ish museum our first stop (purchasing tickets for timed entry in advance is highly recommended). Afterwards, however, we took a break from the Renoirs to explore the open air "museum" that is Philadelphia's Mural Mile. With more than 3,000 murals, Philadelphia is one of the top cities in the US for street art (according to ...
Season’s Greenings at the US Botanic Garden
Every holiday season in Washington, I look forward to escaping the winter cold by taking a quick tropical break at the United States Botanic Garden. The dry heat in the desert environment and the warm humidity in the lush tropical rainforest immediately transport you hundreds of miles away. The colourful orchids also have a way of brightening up any grey day! Of course, this year, there's not much winter chills to be escaped, but I still looked forward to visiting the indoor garden for another reason: the annual display of National Mall landmarks made out of dried plant materials in the Garden Court. I'm always amazed at how detailed the ...