Virginia, in Shades of Togetherness
I usually travel alone, and I rarely go out of my way to see other people when I do. It’s not personal, I just relish my solitude and my autonomy; my lack of commitment to or responsibility for anyone but myself. Call me selfish—some people do, and there have certainly been some bruised feelings after … Read more
Travel Lessons 4 through 7; Lummi Island and Portland
Here comes the second installment chronicling my quasi-debauched adventure in the Pacific Northwest. Lest you be thrown off by the numbered lessons, fear not—this is anything but a pedantic rant. If you caught the first installment of this post, you last left me in Seattle, about to begin the drive up Chuckanut Drive to Lummi … Read more
Travel Lessons 1 through 3; Boston and Seattle
Everyone who knows me knows I love to travel. In a perfect world, this would mean bi-annual trips to Paris and Rome, and finally getting to visit Scandinavia and eat street food in Vietnam. In reality, it means whenever I can afford it, I go eat, drink, and explore my way through another North American … Read more
The Whole Package; a Quest for the Complete Dining Experience in NOLA
When it comes to real estate, we all know what they say: location, location, location. When it comes to restaurants, however, there’s no such mantra—ostensibly, the food is paramount, but it’s not that simple. A bad location can doom a decent restaurant as fast as it can turn buyers away from an otherwise desirable rent-controlled … Read more
La Femme Faim; the Hungry Girl in Montreal, Part Trois
My last full day in Montreal began with a hot, frothy café au lait by a sunny window at Café Sardine. The place was comfortably distressed, bordering on campy, with quirky touches that would have seemed shopworn elsewhere; two aproned cooks wearing newsboy hats and suspenders worked out of a tiny back kitchen, and fresh doughnuts were for … Read more
La Femme Faim; the Hungry Girl in Montreal, Part Deux
Day two in Montreal was notable for a few reasons; first and foremost, it was the day I met Bixi. Until then, it had been about ten years since I’d ridden a bike. Implausible as it may sound, I assure you, this is not hyperbole. The last time I straddled a set of wheels was … Read more
La Femme Faim; the Hungry Girl in Montreal, Part Un
Until recently, my perception of Canada—our neighbor to the north, home of the maple leafs, the most mocked accent in the northern hemisphere, and affordable prescription drugs—was split. On the one hand, there was Quebec, a charming, quasi-European city where my best friend and I had spent a lovely week, drinking wine, listening to jazz, … Read more
The Hungry Girl goes Texan: Day 4
I awoke on my final day in Austin acutely aware of my waning vacation. Luckily, as a seasoned traveler, I know that nothing counteracts the bittersweet taste of fugitive time like a heaping plate of fatty, smoky meat. Unperturbed by the previous day’s thwarted plans (see Day 3 post), I was intent on having the … Read more
The Hungry Girl goes Texan: Day 3
Despite my hope for evidence of meteorological ignorance, day three in Austin, Texas, began not with bright sunshine and an aubade of birdsong, but with the patter of raindrops and the hush of abandoned streets. No matter—I had plans for the day, rain or not. But you know what they say about best laid plans… … Read more
The Hungry Girl goes Texan: Day 2
Day two in Austin got off to a late start. I’d like to blame it on the lack of natural light in my shoebox of a hotel room, but truth be told, you could’ve shot a signal flare through the window and it wouldn’t have roused me any sooner. After popping a couple of Advil … Read more
