Travel Series Posts
These include activities, not just food highlights.
London December 2023- coming in mid December 2023
- coming in mid to late October 2023
- Getting to Crater Lake from Portland
- Crater Lake Views
- Smith Rock Stop on the way back to Portland
- Circles in the Sand at the Oregon Coast
- Sunrise and Moonset at Face Rock Viewpoint
- Sunset at Coquille Point
- Easy Guide to Samuel H Boardman Scenic Corridor
- Art and Eats in Bandon
- Planning a trip to the Painted Hills
- Visiting the Clarno Unit and Sheep Rock Unit of the John Day Fossil Beds National Park
- Visiting the Painted Hills
- Early Morning Things To Do for when you arrive early in the morning or are jet-lagged and up early
- Rainy Day Reykjavik Recommendations for when you want indoor options for things to do
- Golden Circle Highlights, including one stop that may not be quite as famous but is well worth it
- South Iceland Highlights Part 1: Waterfalls and Black Sand Beach
- South Iceland Highlights Part 2: Glaciers and Diamond Beach
- South Iceland Highlights Part 3: Glacier Hike and Ice Cave
- Reykjavik Vibes
- 24 hours of low tide adventure and eats at Cannon Beach
- An iconic must stop on the way to the Oregon Coast: Camp 18 Restaurant
- Find some of the best seafood on the Oregon Coast at the Nevør Shellfish Farms Seafood Shack
- Images and story of the Neskowin Ghost Forest, only visible at low tide
- Iconic New Orleans Food: Central Grocery Muffuletta, Pralines
- Unique Things to go in NOLA: Visiting Mardi Gras World
- A Visit to Turkey and the Wolf for among the top sandwiches ever
- Staying at the Cheong Fatt Tze Blue Mansion in Penang
- Best Activity for Penang: Tips for Visiting George Town Street Art in Penang
- Food Highlights of Penang
- Visiting Kek Lok Si Temple
- Dinner at the world’s only Michelin starred Peranakan restaurant
- Singapore Sights: Old Hill Street Police Station, Singapore Chili Crab in Clarke Quay
- Peranakan Style Buildings in Singapore
- Guide to visiting Hawker Centers in Singapore
- Is visiting Gardens by the Bay and Marina Bay Sands worth it?
- Other sights in Singapore: things to do in Singapore
- Things to see in Changi Airport
- Day Trip to Miyajima with the Floating Torii Gate
- Free Things to do in Hiroshima
- Holiday Lights in Hiroshima
- Restaurant Krebsegaarden
- Lunch at Restaurant Palaegade
- Free things to do in Copenhagen
- Lunch at Geranium
- Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek versus Thorvaldsen’s Museum
- The food market of Reffen
- Visiting Rosenborg Castle
- Visiting Church of our Savior and Tivoli
- Visiting the Portland Japanese Garden – Fall
- Visiting Schreiner’s Iris Gardens
- Visiting the Adelman Peony Gardens
- Museum of Ice Cream (October 2017)
- Jelly Belly Factory Tour (October 2017)
- SF MOMA Soundtracks Exhibition (October 2017)
- In Situ Restaurant (October 2017)
- Artisan Cheese Festival Tour (March 2018 as part of the California Artisan Cheese Festival)
- Visiting The Barlow in Sebastopol (March 2018 as part of the California Artisan Cheese Festival)
- California Artisan Cheese Festival Best Bite Competition (March 2018 as part of the California Artisan Cheese Festival)
- Monarch butterflies in Monterey Bay at the Pacific Grove Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary (December 2022)
- Yayoi Kusuma Infinity Mirrors at Seattle Art Museum Part 1 (August 2017)
- Yayoi Kusuma Infinity Mirrors at Seattle Art Museum Part 2 (August 2017)
- Travel Tuesday: Canon Seattle
- A Visit to Chihuly Garden and Glass, Seattle
- Bandelier National Monument
- Visiting Plaza Blanca
- Kasha Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument
- Santa Fe Art Scenes
- Santa Fe Eats
- Guide to Planning a Trip: Research
- Guide to Planning a Trip: Mapping
- Hagoita Ichi Winter Festival at Sensoji Temple, Japan
- Japanese Treats at Temples and Shrines
- Winter Illuminations in Tokyo (Winter Season – November – February!)
- Snow Monkeys in Hot Springs
- Onsen by Mount Fuji covers Onsen 101 and how we loved our stay at Lake Kawaguchiko
- Dining at a Ryokan a look at what a traditional dinner and breakfast might be during a ryokan stay
- Visiting Cup Noodles Museum in Yokohama (just outside Tokyo)
- Visiting Shin Yokohama Ramen Museum
- Kyoto Temples and Shrines (walking tour starting in Higashimaya with stops especially at Kiyomizudera Temple, Kodaji Temple, Heian Shrine)
- Kyoto Temples in Arashiyama
- Kyoto Tofu
- Kyoto Famous Sights of the Kinkakuji (The Golden Pavilion) and Fushimi Inari (Red Torii Gates)
- Famous Signs of Osaka and eating Osaka Food specialities like okonomiyaki, takoyaki and kushikatsu
- Visiting Himeji Castle, the famous white castle in Japan
- Fun at Japanese Cafes and More including Maid Cafe, Cat Cafe; theme parks of J World and Namja Town, a geeky stop at Kanda Myojin, and Ghibli Museum
- Japan Eating Checklist is my top 25 list of things to try to include as an eating experience when visiting Japan
- New Year’s in Japan: Oji Fox Parade, and some photos of a Meiji Shrine visit on New Year’s Day
- My recap of GABF 2015 with tips and photos
- Beer Tasting in Denver: Great Divide, Crooked Stave, First Draft
- Best Beer Visits Outside Denver
- Denver Beer Vacation: Celebrate GABF outside of GABF
- Arriving in Sonoma – kick off with Gloria Ferrar and Viansa right at the entrance on Route 121
- The gorgeous castle of Ledson Winery and Vineyards
- Continuing south on Highway 12 with visits at St. Francis, Chateau St Jean, Kunde Family Estate, Arrowood Vineyards and Winery, Imagery Estate Winery
- Thanksgiving dinner at the girl and the fig
- My favorite winery in Sonoma that I visited, the sparkling of Iron Horse Vineyards
- Visiting breweries in the Sonoma area: Lagunitas, Russian River, and Bear Republic.
- Love cheese? Recommendations for visiting local cheesemakers in Sonoma
- The sister wineries of Cline Cellars and Jacuzzi Family Vineyards
- Las Vegas Hotels at the South End of Strip: Mandalay Bay, Delano, Luxor, Excalibur, New York New York, and MGM Grand and what each offers in terms of feel
- A look at some of the breakfast options at Della’s Kitchen in the Delano, including juice, Doughssant, bacon cheddar biscuits, and Pecan Raisin French Toast
- Take a little trip to Europe with the offerings and recommendations for free stops in the Middle of the Las Vegas Strip like Paris, Caesar’s, and the Bellagio properties. Did I mention they are all free, and include the World’s Largest Chocolate Fountain?
- Photos recapping my lunch at Giada Las Vegas inside the Cromwell, including the G signature cocktail, flatbread with pesto, burrata, grilled cheese, gelato
- Art Walking Tour at The Shops at Crystals and Aria, Las Vegas, including Gallery Row with Richard MacDonald and Dale Chihuly to the various art in Crystals and Aria
- The garnishes of the Bloody Marys at Todd English PUB in Las Vegas are outrageous, ranging from bacon, onions rings, sliders and corn dogs to chicken wing!
- My tour of The Wynn in Las Vegas, including details on The Lake of Dreams, Parasol Down, the Convervatory, Jeff Koons sculptures, and Le Reve The Dream show
- Lunch at Beijing Noodle No 9, Caesar’s Las Vegas of Shanghai Wave cocktail, Sichuan Dan Dan Mein Spring Noodles, Shanghai Soup Dumplings, and Lamb Pancakes
- A Steampunk restaurant of Rx Boiler Room by Mandalay Bay brings an opportunity for a cocktail from a crystal skull
- Soundtracks at SF MOMA
- Travel Tuesday: Jelly Belly Factory Tour
- Museum of Ice Cream in San Francisco
- Recap of Yayoi Kusama Infinity Mirrors at Seattle Art Museum 1
- Visiting Yayoi Kusama Infinity Mirrors at Seattle Art Museum 2
- My Visit to LACMA
- Review of Living Digital Space and Future Parks
- Visiting Folsom Prison Museum
- Japan Travel: Visiting Shin Yokohama Ramen Museum
- Japan Travel: Visiting Cup Noodles Museum
- Art Blooms at the Walters Art Museum
Food From Travel
Oregon Coast
- I love the charm of this bakery cafe for breakfast or a snack in Astoria at Blue Scorcher Bakery and Cafe (March 2015)
Seattle, WA Restaurant Recommendations
- Travel Tuesday: Canon Seattle (July 2017) during a weekend viewing the Yayoi Kusama exhibit at the Seattle Art Museum (recap post 1 and post 2)
- Bathtub Gin and The Whale Wins (May 2013) in Seattle, amazing cocktails and amazing dinner
- The Crumpet Shop, at the Pike Place Market in Seattle (May 2013). I recommend stopping here for a quick bite, and then going on a Pike Place Market Food Tour or visiting Chihuly Garden and Glass, Seattle as I share in this photo post
- Happy Hour and Breakfast at Boka in Hotel 1000 in Seattle (February 2013)
- Bacco Cafe at Pike Place Market (January 2013) for brunch in Seattle
- Recently in Seattle… Tavern Law cocktails, Lunch at Revel (December 2011)
- Seattle Lunch and Dinners (October 2011) included Matt’s in the Market, Poppy, and Serious Biscuit
- A brunch at Lola’s in Seattle (September 2012)
- Spinasse Dinner: Italian Heaven in Seattle (August 2012)
- A most delicious brunch at Skillet Diner, Seattle… and then there was Unicorn (August 2012)
- A Chef’s dinner at Mistral Kitchen (September 2012)
- Brave Horse Tavern & Serious Biscuit, Spur in Seattle (March 2012), also fresh doughnuts from Dahlia’s Bakery
California Restaurant Recommendations
- Beercations in San Diego – 2014 list of breweries and overall places to visit, and my original beercation in 2013 that included Oggi’s Pizza and Brewing, Knotty Barrel, Stone Brewing World Gardens, Karl Strauss Sorento Mesa, Green Flash, Pizza Port Solana Beach and Coronado Brewing. I also have a separate post on dining alone at a bar in the Gas Lamp District hotel
- Los Angeles Area / LA
- Pasta in a Cheese Wheel in LA at Forma Restaurant in Santa Monica
- A lunch at Angelini Osteria in LA
- My visit to try some of the brick and mortar menu options at Cousins Maine Lobster
- The Trust Me menu at Sugarfish
- Isaan Station for Thai Street Food with a eastern Thailand perspective
- A stop at Eight Korean BBQ, also known as Palsaik Korean BBQ, with their 8 flavors of marinated pork (October 2014)
- My little lunch at Son of a Gun Restaurant in Los Angeles with their fried chicken sandwich, lobster roll, and shrimp toast sandwich (October 2014)
- My lunch stop at Jinya Ramen Bar at Mid-Wilshire in Los Angeles with Jinya Number 1 Tonkatsu Black ramen, Pork Gyoza, Brussels Sprouts tempura and Takoyaki (October 2014)
- I helped host a bridal shower brunch at Le Pain Quotidien, and indulged in tartines in Los Angeles. The post also includes the rainbow of macaroon options at Cafe Concerto. (July 2014)
- Dinner at Manhattan Beach Post, Manhattan Beach, LA Area (June 2013). Make sure you get the bacon cheddar buttermilk biscuits with maple butter. They are worth the hype, warm, gooey with cheese inside and speckled with bits of delicious salty bacon
- I was at Manhattan Beach for Christmas and besides sharing photos of Dusk to Twilight and some random sights while walking in town, I also shared what the Christmas decorations looked like with the posts Christmas Holiday Decorations at Disneyland and for Holiday Decorations at California Adventure Park on Christmas Eve.
- Dinner at both Bäco Mercat and Bar Amá in Downtown LA. Check out the chicken fried steak at Bar Amá (June 2013)
- Lobsters in LA (January 2013) from Cousin’s Lobster Food Truck, Newport Seafood Restaurant, and Michael’s on Naples
- Umami Burger, Santa Monica CA (November 2011)
- Pasta in a Cheese Wheel in LA at Forma Restaurant in Santa Monica
New York City, NY Restaurant Recommendations
New York highlights from March 2014:- Checking out Ivan Ramen at Gotham West Market
- Lobster Rolls from Pearl Oyster Bar
- Scenes from Chelsea Market and Todd English Food Hall
- Best Bagel Sandwich in New York: Russ & Daughters
- Midtown Manhattan Lunches – Xian Famous Foods, ‘wichCraft, Zucker’s Bagels & Smoked Fish
- Bouchon Bakery Rockefeller
- Momofuku Noodle and Momofuku Milk Bar
- Eats in New York, New York (October 2011) included Shake Shack, Morso, Sarabeth’s
Hawaii Restaurant Recommendations
- Star Noodle in Maui (January 2012)
- Ono-ness in Kauai: Fish Express and Puka Dog and Papalani Gelato (January 2012)
- Giovanni’s, a Kahuku Shrimp Truck on Oahu (January 2012)
- Seaside Restaurant, Hilo in Big Island Hawaii (January 2012)
Other
Misc Other West Coast
- Looking at 2 amazing options for local food and Beer on Rainey Street in Austin, Texas by stopping at Craft Pride and Banger’s Sausage House and Beer Garden
- Delicious Highlights from a vacation in Sedona in Arizona (July 2012) included Dahl and Diluca, Oak Creek Brewery and Grill, Elote Cafe, Mago Cafe and ChocolaTree
- Denver/Boulder visit: Beer at Left Hand, Avery, and Oskar Blues (October 2011)
- Leavenworth, WA
- Dinner at King Ludwigs Restaurant and Nightcaps at Icicle Brewing (November 2012)
- Munchen Haus, the direct competitor of Leavenworth Sausage Garden that we had visited a couple days earlier for more sausages in Leavenworth, WA (November 2012)
- Leavenworth Sausage Garten + Cured by Visconti (November 2012) for sausages in Leavenworth, WA
- A glimpse at the Gingerbread Factory, Leavenworth, the Christmas in Leavenworth (looks at Front Street park and the Christkindlmarkt and Christmas Lighting festival and the various Bavarian styled buildings) and also the views from Waterfront Park. I also shared some photos of Cute Signs and Art in Leavenworth and some photos of the Mists and the Mountains in Leavenworth, WA and Moon over Leavenworth.
Midwest
- Lunch at Chicago French Market (Dec 2013). This included a lobster roll from Da Lobsta, frites from Frietkoten Belgian Fries and Beer, and a Montreal smoked sandwich from Fumare.
East Coast
- Beer Travel: Cooperstown and Visiting Ommegang Brewery
- A breakfast at Miss Shirley’s in Baltimore (April 2013) blew me away when I was in Maryland
- Lebanese Taverna in Baltimore (April 2013), Maryland, a great place to refuel and is not far from the Inner Area Harbor area that I shared photos of. You can also walk from the Inner Harbor to Miss Shirley’s that I mentioned above as well. Lest you think my life in only eating… I also shared photos of a great exhibit I visited that I highly recommend, see my Art Blooms at the Walters Art Museum recap
- Boston Eats (October 2011) included Russell House Tavern, Masa Southwest, Jasper White’s Summer Shack, and Flour Bakery
- Colonial Food at Gadsby’s Tavern, Virginia (November 2010)
- Lunch at Lunch at Mt Vernon Inn (November 2010) in Virginia
- Korean food and Bertucci’s in Boston (March 2010)
- Shabu Shabu in Boston (March 2010)
Asia
- Tokyo Weekend: Sushi Dai (March 2012)
- Tokyo Weekend: Visits to Shinjuku, Akihabara = Noodle Day (March 2012)
- Food Fotos during my work hours in Tokyo (March 2012), including udon, okonomiyaki, katsu, Takoyaki, Kushiyaki
- Eating in Asia (April 2010)- in China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan
Europe
- Eating meats in Germany; Bread and cheese for breakfast in Israel and Germany (March 2012)
Canada
- September 2014: Montreal! Au Pied de Cochon Montreal Recap and then Bouillon Bilk, Montreal and other Montreal eats
- Dim Sum in Toronto at Casa Imperial (December 2011)
- Memories of Vancouver’s Granville Island Public Market post along with other Chinese places in Vancouver with stops at Dr Sun Yat Sen Classical Chinese Garden, Dim Sum lunch afterwards at Kirin Downtown and a Dinner at Sun Sui Wah, as well as Guu with Garlic a Japanese Izakaya in Vancouver (May 2009)
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