Travel Guides – Page 2 – …on the B.L.

Cozumel, Mexico

March 22, 2019 RaeAnna

20190223_113942-01 — I really do love staring into the ocean. | Bikini top. | Bikini bottom.

201903224888024445917065014 — I can’t believe my dad is in the ocean with me!!!

201903223106048705503310352 — Hammock at the pool bar. | Sunglasses | Top | Shorts

20190322579993068540176312 — Three generations sipping on drinks at the poolside bar.

It seems like everyone has been to Mexico. Definitely not everyone, but a whole bunch of people. The closest I had been was Calexico, California, which is literally on the border, but it’s still not Mexico. On my cruise last month – I am so behind on the blog posts – I ported in Cozumel. The thing about cruises is that you don’t really get to experience the destination. I was only there for seven hours give or take.

201903226608354750082598009 — My parents are always up for fun in the sun. | Bikini top. | Bikini bottoms.

The ocean was so blue. I can equate it to blue Gatorade. My time in Mexico was spent at a day resort: Nachi-Cocom. Pretty much the thing of dreams. I was ready to move in. I think it was $50 for the day, and it included all food and drinks. I think I drank them out of virgin mango daiquiris. I can’t describe the amount of joy it brought me to sit on the beach drinking a fruity drink and eating french fries brought to me. Joy. The resort had huts on the beach and lots of chairs. There was also a restaurant and bathrooms. A pool and hot tub with a swim up bar was also enticing. There were beds to lounge in. A bar by the beach. Hammocks hanging between palm trees. Really it was fabulous.

I spent the day at the resort with my parents, great aunt, and cousins. I went parasailing for the first time with my seven and fourteen year old cousins. They had both been before, so I’m the old lady. It was quite the experience. Not cheap but super cool. Worth it once, I think. It is a really pretty vantage point to look at the ocean and the island. It was beautiful.

20190223_100057-01 — Parasailing was wonderful.

My poor mom had a restless night on the cruise ship because there was a lot of motion. She was exhausted the whole day in Cozumel. I’m so glad she decided to come with us. Growing up, my dad was never a huge fan of the water. I really only remember him getting in the summer kiddy pool once when I was four after a very long bike ride in the heat. My dad ran into the ocean in Cozumel before I did. THAT NEVER HAPPENS. Watching my dad laugh and play in the ocean with my seven year old cousin and 80 year old great aunt was worth the trip. He and I played and waded. It was an amazing few hours in Mexico.

If you’re ever in Cozumel, I would highly suggest stopping by the day resort. On top of the stunning scenery, there are also massages and spa stuff to enjoy. It is a great place to relax and read a book or catch up with friends. They have a cap on how many people are allowed a day, so you will never be too crowded. Though Nachi-Cocom was something full of dreams, I would not consider it an immersive or even real experience of Mexico.

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The bikini I wore is on super sale on Asos. I love it. It was so comfortable. I could eat fries and not feel expose because of the high waisted bikini bottom. There are low waisted version, which I also own. (TMI warning) The bikini top was comfortable and made my boobs look great!!! I bought all three for under $14 combined. I am obsessed with the lavender sunglasses from Target. The lavender backless shirt is amazing and so soft. Perfect for summer, working out, or sunburn. The high waisted shorts are a favorite.

20190322160866465158185305 — There is something wonderful about the ocean. | Bikini top. | Bikini bottoms.

Travel, Travel Guides

My First Cruise

March 12, 2019March 12, 2019 RaeAnna

This is my current most favorite swimsuit.

I was ready to sail away in this cute dress!

I needed this comfy top and shorts with my sunburn!

I love these pants, but the wind took them!

Grammy and her oldest brother. Love this top.

I had never been on a cruise before. I lived most of my life in the Midwest, which made cruises a not very cheap option. Now that I live in Houston, I really should start going on cruises more often.

In love with this bikini and beach pants.

This cruise was put together to celebrate my grandmother’s 80th birthday. There were 18 of us in attendance. There were three over 80 year olds, one turning 80 this year, a bunch of cousins my parents age, my parents, a seven year old, and a fourteen year old. It was a varied bunch. I roomed with my parents because I like saving money…. As great as they are; next time, I will be getting my own room.

I LOVE this dress that I wore on formal night!

Going into the cruise, I really had no idea what to expect. The only real expectation I had was there would be a lot of water and sky. Those expectations were met. I sailed on the Carnival Triumph for their second to last trip ever before going into dry dock to return under a different name. It was a four day cruise to Cozumel, Mexico. We boarded Thursday morning, I was eating beignets by 10:00 am on Monday morning in the French Quarter. We had a room with a balcony. If you can afford it, have a balcony. They’re great; the view is spectacular. It also helped keep the seasickness to a minimum.

The sunsets were amazing in this jumpsuit!

Carnival Cruises have amazing guest relations. I kinda fell in love with Larson – the guy who cleaned our room. He was wonderful. I had a tag in my beach pants, he chased me down the hall and helped me cut it off because “Miss RaeAnna, your tag does not look good!” I appreciate that level of kindness and honesty.

I would call Carnival the Walmart of cruise lines. It is cheap but does the job. It is absolutely excellent for people watching. There are all kinds. I truly, deeply mean that. A whole bunch of fun and laughs, but I think I’m ready for the Target of cruise lines next time.

Here are some things I learned:

Bring your own toilet paper. The toilet paper is awful. One ply. Chaps the butt hole really well, which is unpleasant.

Explore on the first day. Take an hour to walk the entire ship. I’m kind of a stickler for knowing where everything is and how to get there. Taking the time saves more time later especially if you happen to be intoxicated.
Drinks aren’t free. I don’t drink alcohol, but the non-alcoholic versions are only a dollar cheaper than the alcoholic versions. There are drink packages. If you’re going to have more than five drinks a day, go with the package. It pays off.

Super windy. Cruise ships are incredibly windy. Give up on the long hair being down. It won’t work. Also anything that can blow in the wind, will, so dress appropriately.

Eat everything. Unlike drinks. Food is free. I ordered two appetizers and two desserts every single meal because I wanted to try them, and they were free. I gained a few pounds, but I have no regrets. I never want to regret food I didn’t eat.

Look inside the gym. I didn’t work out because I hate it. I did wander the gym. It was at the very front of the boat, and they view was bonkers.

Wifi sucks. It costs money to have any internet. Even after paying the $40, the wifi sucks. It’s good enough to send messages and snapchats to friends on land, but not great for browsing Instagram or uploading videos. Forget streaming. If you don’t need the internet, use the time to digitally detox.

Meet people! I am introvert. I have a horrible time putting myself out there to meet people. I spent the entire cruise hanging out with my parents. They’re great, but they don’t have my kind of dancing stamina. Finally on the last night, I met people and went dancing. I should have done it sooner.

The cruise is not about the destination. I’ve been to Mexico, but I have not done Mexico. I was there for seven hours. I spent the day on the beach and parasailing. I spoke zero Spanish. It doesn’t count. Cruising is about cruising not about the destination.

Bring reading material. Ok. This isn’t a necessity, but I really loved sitting on the deck reading. It was probably my favorite thing. I almost never get to simply enjoy the sun and reading anymore.
Go see stuff. There is a bunch to do. Go do it.
Gambling. Drinking. Oh my. Carnival cruises are geared more towards the gamblers, drinkers, and bingo players. I don’t do any of those things. Luckily, I have fun just listening to music.

I enjoyed my first cruise. I would really like to go again with a friend or a partner, so I can enjoy the nightlife more fully. I’m currently trying to pressure all my gal pals into going on a cruise with me.

Travel, Travel Guides

Caledonia, Minnesota

November 20, 2018 RaeAnna

*Well-Read Black Girl* | Dress | Flannel Shirt | Boots | Socks | Watch

Caledonia, Minnesota is a small town in the southeastern part of the state. It’s almost as close as you can get to Wisconsin without actually being in Wisconsin. It’s the county seat of Houston County, so there’s a courthouse alongside all the other small town amenities. There are a few bars, a bakery, a couple restaurants, a grocery store, a coffee shop, and a few other things, but it’s not much more than a hiccup of a town.

Why, oh, why am I writing about Caledonia?

About eight years ago, my partner in crime, Alex, took me to meet his family in Caledonia, Minnesota. I was there often during college because it was only a few hours away. After college, it’s become a lot less common since he lives in North Carolina and I in Houston. This is the first time I’ve been back in a year.

My two favorite places in town are the cafe and the bakery. The bakery is open in the morning and serves yummy donuts, pastries, and cookies. The Wired Rooster is an adorable cafe in the middle of downtown. I had to buy one of the mugs because they’re cute/I have a mug addiction. The cafe is a fairly recent addition to the town landscape, but it is very cozy – especially now in the winter with the snow on the ground.

I’m here for a little over a week and a half. It’s a calm and understated several days. It’s a nice break from the normal busy-busy-busy of my life at home.

Caledonia is a blip on a map, but it holds so many wonderful memories and feelings for me. It’s a place where I have no reception, so everything and everyone else fades into the other. The people are friendly and passionate about the Vikings. It is football season, you know. Everything closes early except the bar. It’s like many small towns. But this one is special. It’s the home of my person.

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Books, Reading Lists, Travel Guides

Packing List

November 12, 2018 RaeAnna

A River of Stars | The Silence of the Girls | Brief Answers to the Big Questions | Torch Song Trilogy | Age of Innocence | Him Her Him Again the End of Him | Miss D & Me | Well-Read Black Girl | Pajamas | Throw Blanket || Luggage

I packed a suitcase full of books for my trip this month. Alex, my frequent partner in crime, is deploying next month. Before he leaves, I flew to North Carolina on Saturday. We spent the night on base; then, we road tripped to his parents’ homes in Minnesota. A mere 19 hours in the car. We’re actually pretty used to it. We’ll be spending a week and a half together before I go home to Houston. We’ll see how many books I read in that time span. I am travelling prepared, though!

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Miss D & Me: Life with the Invincible Bette Davis
by Kathryn Seremak with Danelle Morton
I’m looking forward to this one because I am a huge Bette Davis fan, and I love her classic movies! Such a talent.

Well-Read Black Girl: Finding Our Stories, Discovering Ourselves
from Glory Edim
I follow @wellreadblackgirl on Instagram. Glory is beyond inspirational. When I learned of this book, I knew I NEEDED to read it! So it’s on the top of my list right now.

Brief Answers to the Big Questions
by Stephen Hawking
I feel like this speaks for itself. I’m always looking for books to challenge me. Stephen Hawking will for sure do that. I know very little about his realm of study.

Torch Song Trilogy: Plays
by Harvey Fierstein
I haven’t read a play in a long, long time, so I’m excited to dive in.

The Silence of the Girls
by Pat Barker
I haven’t read much historical fiction this year. I’m a tough critic, but I’ve heard a lot of good things about this one in particular.

Age of Innocence
by Edith Wharton
This is one of my favorite books. It’s been years since I have read it, and I want to revisit.

Him Her Him Again the End of Him
by Patricia Marx
I’m going to be completely honest… I bought this solely because the spine has houndstooth on it, and I have been obsessed with that pattern for ever.

A River of Stars
by Vanessa Hua
I don’t know much about this book, but I do love the cover a lot! It’s so bright!

Pajamas
from Target
I love pajamas, but I honestly don’t wear them that often. I mostly bum around in oversized t-shirts, which is totally fine when I’m at home or with Alex. But I’ll be spending time around his parents. I love these pajamas; they are literally the softest thing ever!

Brown Hat
from Amazon
I think everyone needs a good brown, felt hat for the fall season… especially up North!

Yellow Faux Mohair Plaid Throw
from Target
I bought this throw blanket on a whim. I’m so glad I did. It was so necessary on the plane!!! It fit perfectly in my bag, but it is also incredibly soft and warm. You need it! Ok, I “needed” it.

Samsonite 20” Centric Spinner
I bought new luggage for my trip because it had been a decade. I did a bunch of research, and I really like this set of luggage. This carry on is perfect and lightweight. It really only carried my books on this trip, though!

I’m off to bed! It’s been a long few days of travel, travel, travel! I need some sleep before I get to work again bright and early tomorrow morning, so I can have some fun in the afternoon!

Bisous!
RaeAnna

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Miss D & Me || Well-Read Black Girl || A River of Stars ||
Brief Answers to the Big Questions || Torch Song Trilogy || The Silence of the Girls ||
Age of Innocence || Him Her Him Again the End of Him

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Charleston, South Carolina

October 6, 2018October 4, 2018 RaeAnna

When I first knew I was going on vacation, I wanted to go to Charleston. Everyone talks about how amazing it is. I had never been. Fixing that was high on my list of things to do. With Hurricane Florence landing, my plans got thrown up in the air, and Charleston was thrown out of the non-plan. UNTIL! My flight was delayed four days. Charleston was stuck back into the non-plan because Alex and I didn’t want to spend five days in hurricane wasteland, I mean, Jacksonville, North Carolina. Charleston, why not?

Charleston is stunning. It reminded me of New Orleans. A North Carolina, smaller version of New Orleans. It’s charming with a flair of its own. I had no idea what there was to do in Charleston. I hadn’t worried about it because Charleston was no longer in the non-plan. We arrived, and had no idea what to do. Other than, it’s pretty!

Charleston is gorgeous! We weren’t there very long. Hardly a day and a half. I could have walked around forever basking in the glory. You know those photographs were the sun halos around things like buildings or treats or boats, etc. Well that’s how Charleston feels. It feels like the sun is haloing everything in cozy warmth.

Alex and I had lunch at Brown Dog Deli before walking around downtown. There was a really beautiful graveyard. I wish I could tell you where, but I can’t. We stopped by the Historic City Market in the French Quarter. It didn’t feel very historic because they were kind and air conditioned the place.

I love baked goods. I kept seeing mention of Sugar Bakeshop on the famous Cannon Street. The cupcakes are soooooooo yummy. I loved it. It’s cute. It’s tasty. There’s an adorable courtyard. The iced tea is also fabulous. They use paper straws. Saving the world one straw at a time!!!

The next and last day, we woke up, had brunch, and headed to do the one thing everyone said we had to do in Charleston. The Angel Oak. It’s a 400 year old oak tree. It’s imposing and beautiful. It’s not technically located in Charleston, but it’s worth the 15 minute drive. There is absolutely nothing else around it, so it is the destination.

After seeing the tree, Alex and I went to the Waterfront Park. It’s so pretty. There are fountains that invite you to wade. It’s the perfect thing to help relax and cool off in the southern heat. The Pineapple Fountain is super cute. Kids and grown-ups and dogs alike wade into the cool water for the perfect Instagram moment. The park overlooks the bay; aka, why it’s called waterfront. We stood and watched dolphins swim. There is something magical about dolphins in the wild. I can’t explain it. I just love it.

Charleston is a town with so much to offer. You kind of have to have an idea of what you’re doing or what you want to do. I had no idea about either. I would love to go back now that I know what there is to do.

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St. Augustine

October 4, 2018October 4, 2018 RaeAnna

After the Miami part of our trip (read here), Alex and I headed to St. Augustine, Florida. I have been hearing about this place for so long. My bestest friend, Kelsey, has named it her favorite place. As the good friend I am, I went without her.

I had no idea what there was to do or see or eat in St. Augustine. Other than it exists on a beach. I was told to go to Castillo de San Marcos. Beyond that, we were continuing the no plan theme indefinitely. The first day, I had a ton of work to get done. Alex was tired. We decided to grab food and drive around just enough to see what there was to do. Very exciting stuff… I was in bed by 9:30.

The birds watching for fish in the ocean.

On the second day, we went to the big, old fort. Castillo de San Marcos is very old and very cool. It started out as a Spanish fort because St. Augustine used to be a Spanish colony. As the land changed hands so did the fort. It was changed and expanded and all sorts of fun stuff. Unfortunately, like most super old, historic buildings, there was no air conditioning. This may come as a surprise, but Florida is super hot. We were dumb and decided to tour during the hottest part of the day. Fortunately, it started to rain. We wandered around the downtown – honestly, I don’t know if it’s the downtown area – or the historic area of St. Augustine. It’s so pretty. There is a college. The dorm is a reworked luxury hotel… It’s not fair. Actually, it is a disservice to those “poor” college students. They will never live somewhere that nice ever again. So ha!

You can’t wander very far from the ocean. As we walked back to the car after bopping around town and being jealous of the privileged college students, we walked along the water. Things kept jumping out of the water. I couldn’t decide if it was a dolphin or fish or shark or what have you. We sat on the wall next to Castillo de San Marcos watching the birds hunt for fish. It turned out big fish were corralling little fish against the walls and rocks for. I saw my first live jelly fish in the wild. It was really interesting to watch.

We were actually supposed to leave after our second full day, but Hurricane Florence did not cooperate. The roads leading back to Jacksonville, North Carolina, where I was flying out of, were closed. I was unable to make my flight the following day. Once that was rescheduled, we extended our stay in St. Augustine’s by a day.

The super cool college dorm that’s setting expectations too high.

Our last day was a beach day. Before the beach, we stopped at a cute little coffee shop in the historic district. Then, we grabbed some sushi. I have a terrible tendency to eat a lot before going to the beach… Not good for bikini pictures, folks. Don’t do what I do. Alex and I played in the waves. I was hit in the chest by a jumping fish. He taught me -unsuccessfully – how to do a Marine take down thing. I ate some sand practicing. I should just practice my run away tactic. I feel that would have a higher success rate. Anyways… The beach was beautiful. The ocean was green-blue. The water was warm. I got sand in all my naughty bits.

St. Augustine was a really fun addendum to our trip. I would go back in a heartbeat for the architecture alone.