Our plan was to spend a night in the Niagara Falls area on our way home from St Louis but as usual we changed our minds.

We did spend time at Niagara Falls but between the crowds, noise, and desire to sleep in our own bed we hopped back in the car and made our way home. 

It's sometimes nice to be home a day earlier than planned. We were able to sleep in our bed, grocery shop, and start the laundry before the new work week began!

I didn't think it could get hotter than during our time in Atlanta. St Louis proved me wrong. Our first stop after arriving in the city was the Gateway Arch. It was an incredibly warm and sunny day and right as we were walking around a sun shower began. After the shower the air was sticky, and hard to breathe in. 

​We continued our drive to The Cheshire which would be our hotel for the next couple of days. 

I went inside to check us in as Greg circled the lot for a parking space. Check in staff were friendly and explained some of the ins and outs of the hotel. The bellhop was very nice and chatted along the way and told us about how the hallway carpets on our floor were recently renovated. After that our hotel stay wasn't great. The parking lot was a nightmare! Between hotel guests, restaurant guests, and convention attendees you were always have to circle around and wait for a spot to open up. The hotel was fine but definitely not for my taste. The antiques and dark interiors ended up feeling a little eerie to me, our room was nice but the bathroom could definitely use an update, and  breakfast was below average but luckily there was a Starbucks on property! 

On our first night, we decided to try Salt and Smoke. Delmar Loop was packed with people and because we had our dog with us we placed an order to go. Our starter of fried chicken skins was amazing! The skins were crispy, salty, and so good you just kept going back for more. My brisket entree was tender, and my husband's fried jalapeno and cheddar bologna hit the spot! We ended up over-ordering by adding the hush puppies. Sadly we were too full to really enjoy them. 

On our second day Fred and I hung out at the hotel and just relaxed rather than dealing with the heat. After Greg got out of work we wanted to try something other than BBQ. We were so glad we opted for Mission Taco Joint. The BBQ Duck taco was filled with a variety of textures along with sweet and savory notes. This taco is quite memorable and will be a favorite of mine!

While Greg was at work, Fred and I checked out of the hotel and explored Forest Park. I can completely understand why it's one of the most beautiful parks in America. Everywhere we drove to in the park was prettier than the last. 

Once Greg was done with work he hopped in the car with us and we started our trip home. 

We left the hotel around 7 in the morning and made our way to Atlanta GA. The drive through North and South Carolina was beautiful and the weather was perfect. 

We looked up Poke Bros in Greenville SC. We ordered online and pulled up to the Poke Bros on Pelham Rd. I went inside to pick up our order and while Greg sat down at one of their patio tables with Fred. Greg's Hula bowl was good and I customized a tuna poke bowl. I loved how spicy their wasabi aioli was!

After lunch, we made our way into Georgia. 

Before checking into our hotel we decided to drive around and hoped to walk around Atlanta a bit. Our first stop was Little Five Points which is funky and unique! I loved the street art, the unique buildings, and the vibe of the neighborhood. We stopped into Cinnaholic Bakery for some vegan cinnamon rolls and unfortunately I wasn't thrilled with them. It's exciting to see the variety of frostings and toppings but it didn't hold up in the end. I ordered the acai bowl cinnamon bun and it tasted very artificial. It was extremely strong syrup they added to the frosting. I also ordered a brownie cinnamon bun and that one was better but there was again a strong artificial taste. 

From there we tried to go to Piedmont Park but couldn't figure out the best area to park since the staff was setting up for an upcoming music festival. We thought we should try to see something else and so we drove to Centennial Olympic Park. Unfortunately, there was a musical festival currently happening. We drove all over Atlanta and for now, we were content to see the city a bit. For dinner, we decided to give bbq a try and opted for Fox Brothers BBQ. Greg's pulled pork and sausage plate was good, my brisket was tender and delicious but the highlight of the meal for was the fried okra! The fried okra was thinly sliced lengthwise and was crispy, slightly salty, and very satisfying!

We checked into the Westin Atlanta Buckhead hotel. Mike at reception was very friendly and welcoming! Mike would always stop by to see how we were doing if he saw us in the lobby. Greg self parked the car (we usually valet) but since I would have to take him and pick him up from work it was just easier to self park. Our 2 queen beds room was clean, and mostly updated (the bathroom could use a little updating) and our view was of Lenox Square Shopping Center and Buckhead. 

On this trip we also made a choice we don't usually do, we opted to go Green and skip housekeeping service. Skipping housekeeping was convenience for us since we had Fred and the weather was 100 degrees.

During our stay at the hotel we enjoyed cocktails from The Palm Restaurant but in the hotel lobby so Fred could people watch as well.   

On Monday morning, I dropped Greg off at work and Fred and I drove to Historic Oakland Cemetery. Founded in 1850, the cemetery is now on 48 acres. We initially parked outside the cemetery and walked in but with the extreme temperatures, we hopped back in the car, drank some water and drove through the cemetery. There aren't as many elaborate monuments as Bonaventure Cemetery in Savannah Ga but it is just as beautiful. 

I next drove through the Krog Street Tunnel to Cabbagetown to check out some street art. There were so many pieces that I loved. I can't wait to go back and have the time to explore a little deeper. 

Once Greg was back from work we enjoyed cocktails in the lobby before heading out to pick up dinner. We drove to Desta Ethiopian Restaurant for our first Ethiopian food experience! For appetizers, we tried Sambusas (a crispy roll) and Gomen Siljo dip which is a delicious mix of tofu and collard greens. 

For entrees tried filet mignon, lamb, and ground beef tibs with and without awaze. My personal preference with awaze which is like a savory spicy sauce. Injera is the Ethiopian bread you eat your meal with. Injera reminds me of a slightly thicker crepe mixed with sourdough bread. It is amazing!  

Tuesday morning I dropped Greg off at work and Fred and I relaxed at the hotel for the day. Fred usually doesn't mind summer temperatures but this heat was just too much for him!

That night I picked Greg up from work and fought traffic to go sightseeing. Let's talk about Atlanta traffic for a second. I'm from Boston and people think we drive crazy and sit in traffic for hours. What people don't understand is that there is a reason for it. Traffic heads into town in the morning and out of town in the evening. It's simple. In Atlanta, you have people going north, south, east, and west during both morning and afternoon rush hours. It took me 20 minutes to go 1.7 miles to Greg's work and 20 minutes to go back to the highway never mind to get into Atlanta. 

We first drove to Piedmont Park again and parked at the Sage parking facility at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. We were just not meant to see the park! As soon as we walked into the park the sky became cloudy and started to thunder. Fred pretty much ran back to the car! Luckily the bad weather didn't last long and we were able to drive over to Centennial Olympic Park and actually walk around and check out the area. 

After that, we headed back to our hotel and started packing. In the morning, we're heading north to St Louis Mo.   

Greg's work asked him to go and spend a couple of days with his staff in Atlanta as well as St Louis. Normally, he or we would fly from Boston to those locations however this time would be different. We have traveled without Fred a lot this year and we all miss each other when we're apart. Fred is currently healthy with the help of a couple of medications. Fred has a heart murmur as well as an enlarged heart. Unfortunately, he will get worse and so we want to continue making him happy and creating as many memories as we can.

Very early on a Saturday morning this month we left the Boston area and made our way south via the Mass Pike and eventually Highway 81. We've previously driven through Shenandoah National Park so on this trip we made our stop at Natural Bridge VA. 

Before walking to the Natural Bridge you check-in and buy tickets inside the Visitor Center. The Visitor Center is pet-friendly and you can walk through it to get to the bridge. Down a steep set of stairs, you walk! While it was lovely to see and the walk was needed it was pretty awkward walking through a wedding reception area as well as pictures still being taken at the wedding ceremony site. 

After a short period of time Fred was pretty tired and hot (it's was probably close to 90 degrees and humid). So we trekked back up the steep stairs (thankful for my inhaler), hopped back in the car and made our way to our hotel for the night in Roanoke VA.   

The next post will be Roanoke to Atlanta GA and spending 3 nights there!

Saltie girl is one of my favorite restaurants in Boston. While the restaurant is small and causes long waits (the restaurant doesn't accept reservations) the service, drinks, and food are beyond worth it!

After an hour and fifteen minute wait (luckily there's a lot to do nearby). Our table for four was ready. We ordered cocktails to start and let the deliciousness begin!

We started with the warm spicy king crab roll which offers one large bite per person. Next is one of my favorite dishes the torched salmon belly. The salmon belly is a smoky and savory delicious bite. Greg really wanted to try a tinned item so we ordered spicy sardines. The sardines were a surprising hit! The addition of the vinegary vegetables and the piquillo pepper jam was amazing!

Our heavier dishes were the special uni and lardon brioche toast. This dish was outstanding rich, floral and slightly herbaceous. The steak tartar is luxurious! Perfectly season steak, buttery brioche, and tons of cheese! For entrees we ordered the special lobster pasta which offered a hint of sweetness from the addition of corn. We also ordered the lobster and waffles. I'll admit I wasn't looking forward to trying this dish. I ended up loving the sweet, spicy, and comforting dish!

I can't wait to go back for a third time! 

Side Note: None of this is dairy free for me and I don't mind!! Lots of lactaids are needed!

For a while now I have followed Pastry Chef, Dinara Kasko on Instagram. The pastries she creates constantly amaze and inspire me. I was thrilled to see Jonquils Cafe & Bakery was going to open up on Newbury Street.

I've tried to visit once before but the store was sold out of pastries. My father and  I were in town shopping for something else and I thought why not stop in and treat ourselves to some goodies!

We purchased Apple Caramel, Lime Basil, Pentagon, and Coffee Bean. At 8.75 each these pastries are a steal! My mother is one of the pickiest eaters I know and she enjoyed every single morsel of the Apple Caramel. My Lime Basil was bright, creamy, offered a crunch layer and was not overly sweet. My dad loved the Coffee Bean pastry which was like the evolution of Tiramisu. Greg enjoyed the Pentagon later in the day and again ate every single rich chocolate morsel.

I am dying to visit again and enjoy dessert while also sipping on some flower tea.

Last month was Greg's grandfather's 90th birthday! To celebrate we took a Jetblue flight on a Friday night, picked up our rental car at Hertz and drove north to Greg's parents house. 

Over the next two days we spent time with Greg's family. We enjoyed Lobster rolls shipped from Maine thanks to McLoon's Lobster and Goldbelly. We continued our celebration with steaks wrapped in bacon, cake and pie.

We loved spending time with his parents, grandparents, brother and sister in law, and of course our handsome nephews!

We also enjoyed walks in the area to check out the local scenery and sunsets! Sunday night definitely came too quickly. We hopped back on another Jetblue flight and made our way back to Boston so Greg could be at work on Monday morning!

In August, my best friend from Florida flew up for a visit with her fiance. During their visit we did a little sightseeing. The first day we went to Salem MA. We went by The Witch House, Salem Witch Museum, Hawthorne Hotel, and The Burying Point. We also stopped in at Crow Haven Corner where my friends signed up for readings.

There was a bit of a wait until their reserved times so we walked to the El Punto Neighborhood to check out the amazing street art at Punto Urban Art Museum! Walking back to Crow Haven Corner we detoured to Kakawa Chocolate House for some chocolate elixirs and truffles. Unbelievably delicious!

The readings were hit and miss for my friends one was okay and didn't seem very relative and the other was amazing and hit close to her heart.   

The next day we drove into Boston and met up with Greg who was hopping off a ferry from a work outing. We enjoyed drinks and appetizers at Tia's.

From there we walked to the North End. We walked by Paul Revere's House, Paul Revere's Statue, The Old North Church, and Copp's Hill Burying Ground. Before heading home, we stopped for pastries and calzones from Bova's Bakery. 

Over the weekend of their visit, we decided to try our luck at Encore Casino in Everett. I don't know if it's always like this or not but parking was a pain! We ended up circling and circling looking for a spot. We finally found one on a lower level and made our way inside. We didn't make dinner plans on this visit but are actually heading back there to try Mystique this weekend. 

Encore Casino is beautiful! It's elegant, modern, and a welcoming atmosphere plus it's smoke-free!!! We ordered drinks at the bar and luckily we got to do so just in time. The bartender starts at the person in front of him and then goes to their left. So if the person in front of them start and you go to that person's left-hand side you're out of luck!

​No one in our group one big but it was a terrific night out!  

I do not like celebrating my birthday! I love my family and friends and I don't care that I'm getting older but I hate being the center of attention. This is probably also why I blog vs vlog! 

I couldn't travel for my birthday this past July because we were already heading to California for the family trip. Greg came up with the idea to go to the newly opened Zuma since we love the one in Miami. In the end, we were a party of 6 plus my new nephew. 

My sister and brother in law were stuck in traffic so we ordered a couple of cocktails and small bites. Once we were all seated we all opted for the Omakase. Here's where the restaurant failed. The staff came out to say that because of my dairy allergy I would need to order a la carte because (and I quote) "the chef would like the Omakase served as it's meant to be." I've eaten twice at Zuma Miami and both times I've had a dairy-free Omakase experience that was amazing. I ended up taking several packages of Lactaid to get me through the meal. Considering this was my birthday dinner I wanted to go all out.

A few days later a manager from the restaurant called me (due to my Instagram post) and was hoping to find out what happened. While it was a nice chat and I received an apology there wasn't any compensation. 

Now on to the food. Each dish was plentiful, beautiful, and seasoned well. I found the salad to be the least exciting and the main course to be the most exciting. I didn't think Zuma's amazing dessert displays could be outshined but the platter of truffled steak, crab legs, and corn definitely did!

I would definitely return and recommend Zuma and I'm hoping that the small service hiccup will be corrected for the future. ​