The Travel Chica

Live Simple. Consume Less. Experience More.

Portland is Brewvana

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I have a lot of friends who are into craft beer. When I told them I was going to Portland, their eyes got big, and they told me at least one brewery I MUST visit. The more research I did, the more excited I got.  I wanted to experience a LOT of different beers, so […]

Me, a beer, and my goldfish

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As soon as I got to Portland, I realized my days were going to be even busier than Seattle. I got a massive list of fun stuff to see and do from Bethany and Ted of Two Oregonians.  I had a great discussion with Visit Portland and added more must-dos to my list.  And everyone I talked […]

9 Must See Sights in Seattle

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When you go to a city like Seattle (especially for the first time), you have to visit the top tourist sights.  The problem is there are so many. The good thing is several of the main attractions are co-located, and you can take cheap taxi rides (about US$7-10) to get from one side of downtown […]

Best coffee in Seattle (or How much caffeine can I drink?)

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One of the “comforts” I missed while traveling in Latin America is good coffee. People think that sounds crazy because a lot of the good coffee we drink in the US is from Latin America.  It is possible to find good coffee in Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Colombia, but it is difficult because most of […]

Seattle Through My Lens

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I feel like my photography has stagnated a bit. After the stunning landscapes of the Bolivian Altiplano caused me to shoot about 2,000 photos in four days, I’ve been a bit burned out on photography. I need some inspiration. I need to learn something new.  I need feedback. After my trip to Maine, some family activities, and […]

Have you seen my O face?

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After the delicious fresh seafood in Maine, I was eager to check something else off my list of foods to try when I arrived on the opposite coast in Seattle, Washington. Raw oysters. My first night in Seattle, I had dinner with a friend who used to live in Columbus.  I told him that I […]

Best breakfast sandwich ever

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Coming back to Columbus after being gone so long is great because I get to go to my favorite restaurants, cafés, and bars.  But what is really fun is checking out all the great new places that have popped up in the last two years and the places I simply missed because I didn’t have […]

Columbus rocks! My 4 music obsessions

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It is the end of summer. The mornings have a chill (a refreshing break from the humidity).  The leaves are starting to change colors. Over three months ago, I ended my travel sabbatical in South America to come back to my hometown of Columbus, Ohio.  That time has flown by, and as much as I […]

Maine is seafood heaven

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I have eaten some of the best seafood of my life in Maine. Yes, the seafood is incredibly fresh. But I think it is also because I am eating at family-owned restaurants that have been around for years.  Francine and Paul love good food and good value, and they showed me their favorite spots. My […]