Silobrating with the Best!

Like every other HGTV-loving American, I love Fixer Upper.  Truth be told, my husband and I started thinking differently about house hunting when we started watching Chip and JoJo. While we knew our skill set was a bit different than the Gaines dynamic duo... it made us approach houses differently and through a different set of lenses. Now, our house is not a "fixer-upper", however I like to think of parts of house being a blast from the past. The 90's are still alive and well in many areas of our sweet little home. 

This brings us to Waco, TX....My best friend just happens to live in Dallas, Texas. In the fall, we were planning a little visit at the end of October and it just so happened that the Silobration would be happening in Waco the same weekend we would be visiting The Lone Star State in October! 

This, my friends, was a no brainer. We packed up the car and made the trek down to Waco. We arrived incredibly early (we couldn't help ourselves), so we had a bite to eat at Twisted Root Burger Co.  We made sure to leave room for the food trucks later, of course. 

We're the four best friends anyone could ever have........ 

 We browsed the Magnolia Market with hundreds of other gawking fans and snagged a few keepsakes to take home. I couldn't leave without a t-shirt (I am my father's daughter!), candle, and one of Jimmy Don's metal signs. 

We listened to Johnnyswim sing, Chip and Joanna share their story (it's possible I may have cried...), and snacked on pizza from food trucks. 

It was an amazing trip and even better because it was spent with people I love the most!

Next on the list? I'm bound and determined to stay in that cute little B&B or I'll settle for Joanna flying to Missouri and being my best friend. 

Arkansas? CHECK!

Before I was a homeowner, I had the great pleasure of renting a duplex from an amazing couple. They are both living the dream of retirement, but you would never know because their day planner is quite full! 

Among the countless hobbies they enjoy as a couple, they also have traveled the entire country together. Throughout their marriage, they have visited (almost) ALL 50 states together. I find this feat rather remarkable and I challenged my husband to do the same with me. 

Don't get me wrong... I could go for another week in the Dominican Republic, but I'm ready and willing to check out good 'ol U.S. of A's beauty as well. 

For Valentine's Day, we checked off one of our neighboring states and officially visited The Natural State. 

May not seem like most to some.... but boy-oh-boy, I enjoyed every minute with my Valentine and two best friends!

More to come on our Eureka Springs trip in a future post. 

Happy Thursday!

"Embrace the Butter" -A Wise Friend

Right after Christmas my husband and I set off on a little adventure to Savannah, Georgia and it was ah-maze-ing. I loved every part of the city and I cannot wait to visit again and bring all of my friends!

Here are my tips to traveling in one of the most charming cities in the United States.

Tip #1: Read the book. 

Before jetting off for the holidays, one of my friends told me I needed to read the book "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" before going to Savannah. I'm so glad I followed her advice! 

Tip #2: Grab your camera, fanny pack, and trolly sticker and be a tourist. 

There's no shame in being a tourist, asking for directions, or wearing that big 'ol camera around your neck (these are all my exclusive opinions).  I often look the part of a tourist in my home town. I can't help it. I love to explore. 

We learned more about the city of Savannah on our trolley ride around town than by walking or reading anything online. The best part is you can hop and on and off the trolley throughout the day. 

Please note the trolley stickers and camera strap!

Tip #3: Explore River Street

Hobble along the cobble stone roads and grab a bear claw to snack on or pop in Vic's on the River for an amazingly delicious crawfish beignet. We opted out of a river cruise, but if that tickles your fancy.. I say go for it! 

Tip #4: Eat. Eat it all. 

This is by far the most important tip. The food was amazing. We had tapas as Jazz'd, soup and sandwiches at Six Pence Pub, and pimento cheese hush puppies at Churchill's to name a few. Oh, did I mention our amazing breakfast at Collins Quarter? Even the chai tea was heavenly. Savannah can do-no-wrong in the meals department. 

Tip #5: Bike Tybee Island

My husband and I love to bike around cities. We love to stroll around and take in the sites together. Tybee was the perfect island to bike around. It was about a 25 minute car ride from Savannah and the perfect way to spend a morning. We had breakfast at Sunrise Cafe, biked around the town, visited the lighthouse, and had lunch at A-J's Dockside. Perfection!

Tip #6: Soak Up the History

Wave at the girl. Visit the historic homes. Take a look at the art museum. Read the plaques. Hop from square to square. Sit where Forrest Gump sat and talked about his mama and Jenny. Do it all!

Mercer House 

Last but not least... If it claims to be famous, I'd go ahead and test it out.

Tip #7: Is it famous? You should probably test it out yourself. 

Exhibit A: Do I regret trying these famous cookies of Savannah? Nope. Sure don't. I would like some more, please.

Located in City Market... You should go there too!

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I've barely scratched the surface on visiting Savannah, but now you have one more city to add to your U.S.A. bucket list! 

Where shall we travel next, blog-friends?

Standing in 3 Places at Once!

I'm a BIG fan of tourist attractions. It's in my blood. I come from the family where we had to visit a historical attraction or landmark on every. single. family. vacation. At a young age, I would moan and groan... but now I'm like a kid in a candy store. I can't get enough of standing next to weird attractions that make me detour from travel or pay money to see. 

Tallest man in Branson? CHECK! 

The microphone that THE Elvis Presley sang on? Umm YES PLEASE!

Superman statue in Metropolis, Illinois? Um.. YOU BET!

Beignets at the Cafe du Monde in New Orleans? I'll take 1,000. 

A few weekends ago, I had the pleasure of standing by my best friend's side while she said, "I do" in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Luckily for my bf and I... we got to make a little pit stop for a kodak moment at the 3 corners!

We were standing where three states meet: Kansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri. I felt like Mandy Moore in "A Walk To Remember" when she stood in four places at once. Okay.. I almost felt like Mandy Moore since I was only in three places at once. You get the idea!

Share with me! What are your all-time favorite pit stops, "tourist traps", or detours you've taken?

Hurts....Donut?

LOLz

 While visiting two friends in Springfield, Missouri recently we ate breakfast at Hurts Donut. A truly delightful little donut shop in the heart of downtown Springfield that you do. not. want. to. miss. Read a little more about Hurts Donut here from 417 Magazine. 

After staring at the cabinet of endless, weird and wacky, donuts. I settled on a donut covered in Froot Loops. Two of my favorite sweet treats. 

Now, take my advice and pop into Hurts Donut. You won't regret it!

New Orleans Round Up

It seems that most of us in Missouri, well the Midwest, are currently living in a snowy fairy tale. The tale of Christmas break just won't end because of the most recent snow fall and frosty temperatures. I walked out to check my mail and I wanted to cry because the wind and temperatures hurt my face, that and I have an extremely low tolerance for pain. 

Today's post is all about our recent trip to NEW ORLEANS! Neither my boyfriend or I had ever been before and we thought it sounded like the perfect way to start 2014. We hopped on a plane at 6:00AM (with a dream and a cardigan.. oops, sorry, got distracted!) on New Year's Day and headed south! Last year (whoa!), I blogged about our trip to Disneyland and a few of my favorites from the vacation. Here's my rundown of NOLA and some highlights I think you should include in your itinerary of The Big Easy.

We stayed in a quaint little hotel right in the heart of the French Quarter. Walking right out of the Place d'Armes would put you on Royal Street or a left turn out of the front doors would put you in Jackson Square. It was a great location with an equally great price. Side note: someone should be paying me to write this!

Place d'Armes on St. Ann Street

Court of Two Sisters

We arrived just in time to take part in the Jazz Brunch at the Court of Two Sisters. The courtyard and atmosphere of Two Sisters is pretty spectacular. It was raining when we dined there so we couldn't take advantage of the courtyard, but we got to enjoy the Jazz and buffet!  

Yummy dish(es): Creole Jambalaya and King's Cake 

When we got off the plane, we got wind of a little excitement happening down in the Quarter. Since the Sugar Bowl was happening the following day, we (luckily) stumbled up on the AllState Sugar Bowl Fan Fest featuring a FREE concert with Imagine Dragons. Score! 

We were most likely the only Mizzou fans in a sea of crimson because the town was flooded with OU and Alabama fans. Nevertheless, we wore our goal with pride. My tweet even made it up on the jumbo board prior to the concert!

Imagine Dragons - FREE!

After the concert, we hopped in a cab and headed down to St. Charles Street and dined at Emeril's restaurant. If you're feeling fancy, it's the perfect place to go. Our meal and experience was incredible. I highly recommend! 

Emeril's Delmonico

Yummy dish: Dry Aged Moulard Duck Breast

Cafe du Monde

The next morning we set our alarms to be one of the first to arrive at Cafe du Monde. A friend of mine had advised us to get there early otherwise we would be standing in line. We arrived around 8:30 and walked right in and had a seat in the patio area. If someone could make me beignets and coffee every morning for the rest of my life, I would be perfectly content. 

Yummy dish: Beignets :)

The Original French Market Coffee Stand

Acme Oyster House

For lunch, we braved the line of the legendary Acme Oyster House. Now, you must know... I do not eat oysters. Deep fry those little puppies and I'll consider it, but I'm not about to slurp anything down. My boyfriend on the other hand is a fan, so I'll be a team player! At the conclusion of our trip, we decided that this was probably our least favorite spot and we'll probably skip this place the next time we visit. 

Standing in Line

Bouligny Tavern

After a little touring of the city, we hopped in a cab and headed to Magazine Street in Uptown. Our first stop was the Bouligny Tavern where we had an array of small plates. Each one was equally delicious and it was a nice little spin on dinner to eat several options versus just one main dish. 

Yummy dish(es): Marrow & Garlic Bruschetta & Fries with Aioli  

Napoleon House

Before arriving in New Orleans, I had a laundry list of things we had to eat. It's one of the few places, in my opinion, that has so many unique dishes that must be consumed. Oh, and trust me, consume we did! Thanks to a recommendation by a friend, we had lunch at the historical Napoleon House and had our first Muffuletta Sandwich. We found out later the Napoleon House is one of the few places to sample this sandwich warm - which we both enjoyed!

Great Spot

During the afternoon, we spent some time sightseeing through the city and checking our the museums of Louisiana's history, Hurricane Katrina, and Mardi Gras. These museums are located right next to the St. Louis Cathedral which is also a sight you must make a point to see. 

Jackson Square & St. Louis Cathedral

With Mr. Jackson

St. Lawerence 

Friday night, we wanted to find a fun place to watch our Missouri Tigers BEAT Okie State in the Cotton Bowl. Right before the game, we had an amazing dinner at St. Lawrence. I would consider this place a diamond in the rough. When we checked it out online, it had little reviews and didn't speak too loudly to us. Once we got into the restaurant and started our meal - we were impressed. This was probably one of my favorite restaurants we went to. Definitely worth checking out!

Oh, speaking of the Cotton Bowl... did you see where we won? GO TIGERS!

Source: USA Today

Eat

On the last morning of our trip, we popped in EAT for brunch and weren't disappointed. The atmosphere, staff, and food was delightful. This was recommended by my sister and she made a great choice - I now, recommend it to you!

Yummy dish: Fried Green Tomatoes

We had a little bit of time to burn before we needed to scoot to the airport, so we did some exploring through the French Market. In hindsight, I wish we would have kept a lunch open and dined at the market because the array of food choices were incredible. Plus, I was very temped to try some gator on a stick - but I was stuffed from brunch! 

Gator Gumbo, please!

I do believe we checked off everything on the "eat this in New Orleans list", but I could be mistaken. Here's what we had: beignets, muffulettas, oysters, po' boys, gumbo, jambalaya, King's Cake, and pralines. Did we miss something? If so, I guess we'll just have to go back again!

Of course, I didn't list everywhere we visited and popped in but these listed were my favorites. If you're looking for other great spots, I would add the following to your list of things to do/see:

Carousel Piano Bar & Lounge in Hotel Monteleone

Pat O'Briens

Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop

Murriels 

Have you been to New Orleans my faithful readers? Share with me your favorite spots to dine, tour, and visit. 

Happy New Year!

Wanderlust

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