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8/11/2024 Nashville, Tennessee - where to stay, things to do, see, eat, & drink! [2024 TRAVEL GUIDE]Welcome to Nashville, Tennessee—Music City where legendary tunes meet Southern charm! Known for its lively honky-tonks, rich musical history, and delicious cuisine; Nashville offers a vibrant experience that captures the essence of Southern culture. Dive into the heart of the city with me as we explore where to stay, eat, drink, and things to do/see!  WHERE TO STAY: For those seeking a vibrant, immersive experience in Music City, Downtown Nashville stands out as the ideal location! It’s in the heart of the city, making it incredibly convenient & places you within walking distance of many major attractions. My hotels of choice: Moxy Downtown Nashville Hyatt Centric Downtown Nashville WHERE TO EAT: Nashville’s food scene is as dynamic as its music! The city offers a diverse array of dining options, from classic Southern comfort food to innovative culinary creations. My must-try spots to eat: Hattie B’s (best fried chicken sandwich) Pancake Pantry (best pancakes, biscuit & gravy, & chicken fried steak!!! yes i’ve done my research ) Jack’s BBQ (quick bbq eatery on Broadway) RISE Biscuits (great breakfast sandwiches) Martin’s BBQ Joint (excellent bbq food & sauces) Assembly Food Hall (a food court on Broadway with 30+ eateries to choose from!) WHERE TO DRINK: If you’re looking to start early, most of the honky-tonks (a bar that features live music, cold drinks, and a party atmosphere) open and have bands playing around 10 AM every morning! When the sun goes down, Downtown Nashville transforms into a lively nightlife hub. From rooftop bars with stunning city views to speakeasies with crafted cocktails, the options are endless. My favorite places to get a good cocktail: Literally any of the bars on Broadway Tootsies (a classic must-do, great rooftop view in one of Nashville’s most famous honky-tonks) Twelve Thirty Club (the best espresso martini and great appetizers) Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row (great rooftop view) ACME (multi-level building with a different vibe on each floor) Friends In Low Places (newly opened, best A/C system ) Coyote Ugly (yes, like the movies -- lots of fun!) THINGS TO DO/SEE: Attend a festival: Nashville hosts a wide range of events and festivals throughout the year. From the Nashville Film Festival, CMA Fest, the annual Pride Festival & more, it feels like the city always has something going on! Listen to the music: Known as "Music City," Nashville’s music scene is legendary. Broadway Street is lined with iconic bars and live music venues where you can experience the best of Nashville’s honky-tonk culture. Whether you're interested in up-and-coming country artists or legendary performers, Downtown offers a range of musical experiences to suit every taste. Learn about Nashville’s history: From the iconic Country Music Hall of Fame to the historic Ryman Auditorium. Explore the Johnny Cash Museum for a dose of musical history, stroll through the scenic Centennial Park to see the replica Parthenon. No matter what brings you to Music City, Nashville’s blend of rich history, vibrant music scene, and warm Southern hospitality ensures that every visit is a memorable adventure. (& why I keep going back!) 3/16/2024 Yosemite National Park   LOCATIONS CAPTURED:
The Chapel — the oldest structure in Yosemite Valley, originally built in 1879 Nevada & Vernal Falls — standing at 594 ft & 317 ft, both of these waterfalls and the trails that lead to them offer spectacular views of Merced River, Yosemite Valley, & Emerald Pool. via the John Muir & Mist Trail, this is a strenuous hike w/ a 2000 ft elevation gain around 6-8 miles total depending on the trail you take! don’t forget to pack snacks/water Mirror Lake — a seasonal lake; aptly named, as it offers perfect mirror reflections of the surrounding mountains & sky on the water surface accessible via a 2 mile roundtrip hike on a mostly-paved road with minimal elevation gain, very kid & dog friendly Lower Yosemite Fall Trail — 1 mile trail leading to the base of the lower waterfall; a 320-foot drop, making it the final part of North America’s tallest waterfall! (2,425 ft total) HIGHLY recommend walking to the footbridge and getting sprayed by the mist, especially when it’s warm out Cook’s Meadow Loop — 1 mile trail through an open meadow in the center of Yosemite Valley; great views of Yosemite Falls & Half Dome on this trail 4/12/2022 New Orleans, Louisiana - where to stay, things to do, see, eat, & drink! [2022 TRAVEL GUIDE] New Orleans is a city rich in culture, & you can feel that as soon as you arrive. ✨ Everything from the French colonial architecture, to the smell of the fresh beignets on Royal St. — NOLA is a very unique city compared to other places in the United States. 📍 WHERE TO STAY: Warehouse DistrictRight in the heart of Downtown New Orleans, the Warehouse District is a very trendy & safe spot to stay in. A lot of the brick buildings have been transformed into new businesses & hotels. It’s a very walkable area which makes it easy to stop by one of the local coffee shops, creole food spots, or even grab a cocktail! My hotel of choice: Sonesta ES Suites New Orleans Convention Center Conveniently located in downtown and a short walk to the convention center! Upon entering the staff & security were super nice & helped us out quickly. We even got a free upgrade to a bigger suite with a separate bedroom! 🙌🏾 I also really enjoyed staying at Sonesta because of the full kitchen! Having access to a full fridge, stove, & microwave always makes the trip experience better for me. I left every restaurant with leftovers so having a place to store & reheat my food was perfect! WHERE TO EAT:Galliano Restaurant - 200 Julia St, New Orleans, LAFor my first meal in New Orleans, I knew I wanted a true Louisiana dining experience and I found just that at Galliano Restaurant. They put a twist on traditional Cajun food to create an elevated taste and feel of Louisiana. For appetizers I had the BBQ Shrimp, which is essentially cajun butter shrimp and they were HUGE! The gumbo & fried shrimp were also excellent! For the main course, I had the andouille stuffed pork chop and it was very tasty. 😋 Portion sizes were no joke and the vegetable sides were delicious too. I wish I had more time to squeeze in another dinner here! 😫  Gus’s Fried Chicken - 308 S Diamond St, New Orleans, LALooking for that classic fried chicken meal with all the fixings? Gus’s is it. 😮💨 They’re known for their hot & spicy fried chicken recipe that comes straight out of Tennessee. 🍗 I recommend going early to beat the lines! The chicken breast & legs were my favorite, along with the baked beans and macaroni & cheese. Since 1973 they’ve expanded across the country and I’m so happy they opened locations near me in Burbank & Long Beach! 🙏🏾 Pier 424 - 424 Bourbon St, New Orleans, LAI was strolling down Bourbon St. and walked upon Pier 424, a restaurant serving fresh seafood directly from the local Louisiana Gulf. Complete with the longest oyster bar in New Orleans, Pier 424 is located in the center of the action of Bourbon St., but allows you to get away from the craziness and have a nice indoor dining experience. Here I tried a NOLA classic for the first time, the shrimp po-boy. Served on French bread and "dressed" with lettuce, tomato, pickles, and mayonnaise — this might’ve been my favorite meal of the entire trip. 😍 I also tried the chicken jambalaya which was super flavorful & cooked perfectly! If I’m ever stumbling down Bourbon St. again, I’m stopping by Pier 424 for a snack. Cafe Beignet - multiple locationsThe name says it all, but they have so much more to offer than just beignets. Cafe Beignet is known for there sweets, but they also serve huge club sandwiches, breakfast plates, & NOLA specialties like jambalaya and red beans. No matter what time you go there’ll most likely be a line, but it is so worth it! WHERE TO DRINK:
THINGS TO DO/SEE:Take a Steamboat RideExperience the Mississippi River like no other! Hop on a tour of the Steamboat Natchez or the Riverboat to enjoy a couple hours on the water cruising down the river. 🚢✨ They even offer cruises with a jazz band & food for a full Louisiana experience. ❤️  Attend a festivalNOLA has a ton of festivals to choose from throughout the year like Mardi Gras, The BUKU Project, & Essence Festival! Plan a trip around a festival to take your experience in the city further. I love meeting the locals & attending events is the perfect way to meet people with similar interest. Walk Jackson SquareTake in the views of St. Louis Cathedral from Washington Artillery Park! Head down the stairs and enter the gates towards the cathedral. Tons of grass & shaded areas to relax in, and conveniently located right next to Cafe Du Monde! Shop at the French MarketA farmers market & flea market hybrid filled with local food vendors & businesses! Stop by to pick up some souvenirs, try some good food, & listen to live music! 🎺 There's so many more places I could mention and also wish I could have visited, so I'm positive I'll be back in New Orleans soon to check everything of my list! Have you been to NOLA or plan on going? I hope some of these spots make it onto your list for a future trip to New Orleans!  Welcome to Borrego Springs, CA! 🌌 What I like to call the perfect getaway-- hidden away in the mountains and less than 3 hours from LA! Borrego Springs is a little village in San Diego that’s unique for multiple reasons. For one, it happens to be recognized as a designated International Dark Sky Community by the International Dark-Sky Association, the only one in California! Meaning they have no stop lights in Borrego Springs and nighttime lighting is kept to a minimum to protect the views of the night sky. ✨ I can guarantee that if you live in the city, you’ve never seen the night sky like this. You can literally see thousands of stars & planets with the naked eye! 🌟🪐 Borrego Springs is a village completely surrounded by the 600,000-acre Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, the largest state park in California! It happens to be the only California town completely surrounded by a state park. ⛰ Stargazing here is a popular thing to do, which is why the city attracts tons of astronomers and photographers year-round. 🔭 If you’re planning on visiting, I definitely don’t recommend making the drive at night! Please drive with caution, always! ⚠️ The main spot I wanted to check out during my trip were the metal sculptures installed by artist Ricardo Breceda. 🎨 There are over 100 large statues of animals spread throughout the Galleta Meadows Estate in Borrego Springs, so choose wisely and hit up your favorites! Most are off the main roads, so you’ll be able to see them just by driving by! One of the most popular sculptures is the Sand Dragon, stretching over 350 feet long and snaking across the main road in Borrego. 🐉 We visited right before sunset, mainly to avoid the day heat, but still have enough light to get home before it got completely dark (which it does)! Check out some of the photos we captured below during our trip to Borrego Springs! 📸    
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