Traveling – Page 4 – …on the B.L.

Fly-By-Must-Eats in Chicago

July 5, 2018 RaeAnna

I love Chicago. I lived in the area for two and a half years. I worked in downtown for a while. It’s a city I can’t spend enough time in. There are so many things to do and see and taste. Seriously, it is a foodie’s city. So many amazing restaurants, and infinitely more I haven’t been yet. I could probably talk about the food in Chicago for just about ever, but I won’t.

I want to talk about four of my favorite restaurants in Chicago. I could dedicate an entire blog to the food I love in Chicago, so I’m just including my fly-by-musts for when I’m home for a day or two.

Naf Naf Grill

I LOVE Naf Naf. I found it when I worked in downtown. I ate it all the time. Almost every day. This is not a hyperbole. It’s cheap. It’s quick. It’s healthy. It is beyond scrumptious.

I love Middle Eastern food. They have a garlic sauce I still crave on a weekly basis, but the tahini is excellent too! The shawarma and steak are great, but honestly I eat strictly vegetarian here because the falafel is that good. Have it in a pita or a bowl with rice, lettuce, hummus, or couscous and top it with great stuff. You have options. The lentil soup is worth a try. Everything is cooked in house and in plain view. I love watching pitas made in their bakery.

Naf Naf means ‘fan the flame’ in the context of bringing people together for a sense of community over a shared meal. They come through. I have never entered without being greeted and treated well. Their staff is attentive, kind, and full of personality. #Nafon

In downtown Chicago, you can spend a pretty penny on food. You won’t at Naf Naf. Unless I felt like eating myself into a coma, I would never spend more than $9. Believe me, you will leave stuffed. Hold my pita, I’m going back for seconds!

Davanti Enoteca

This is my favorite restaurant. As the foodie I am, I do not say that lightly. So much so, I am dedicating a whole post to this place.

Authentic Italian food in Little Italy. I accidentally happened upon it one day several years ago. I keep going back because everything is amazing. A testament to this, is they are always busy. So make a reservation. The menu is always changing. Thankfully, my favorite dessert, the Brown Butter Blondie, is always there! Plates are made to share, although I don’t always.

I wouldn’t call this a cheap restaurant, but you can find far more extravagant in Chicago. Go for a beautiful meal and leave a few pounds heavier.

Portillo’s

Portillo’s is an institution in Chicago. Have you even been to Chicago if you didn’t eat Portillo’s? I didn’t grow up in Chicago or Illinois, so I don’t have that innate love for the place natives do, but I always stop by.

Known for their Italian Beef, they also have hot dogs, salads, desserts, and more. I suggest an Italian Beef Sandwich dipped. I get mine with cheese on it because cheese. Dipped means they dip the sandwich in “gravy” or what the rest of the world would call the juice. It’s a messy sandwich. Roll up your sleeves and dig in. You won’t regret taking part in this institution.

I don’t think I have ever been to an empty Portillo’s. There are always people and usually a line. The drive-through around-ish lunch or dinner consists of two lines with quite the wait. It’s worth it. Everyone thinks so.

Argo Tea at Connors Park

This one isn’t a restaurant so much as a specific little cafe I love to visit. You can definitely grab a cup of tea and a nibble, so it counts. I found Argo Tea while living in Chicago. Their tea shops are all over. The tea is great. It’s yummy, and there are tons of unique flavors hot or iced. Buy a cup of tea, tea leaves, bottles of tea, or stock up on some swag. They brew the tea in front of you and offer yummy snacks.

This specific little gem is located in downtown Chicago at Connors Park. In a historic area full of beautiful architecture, it stands out. Modern and made of glass, it’s perfect for a respite. I found it one frigid winter day as I was wandering. My hands and nose were numb. I saw it and dashed for the door. Inside the transparent walls, I felt warm and cozy like I was in a greenhouse. A fountain only added to the affect. I love going and sitting because I feel like I’m watching the city without having to be a part of it. Also the tea is delightful.

I highly suggest taking a break from the bustle for tea time. It’s small, but you’ll love it. It’s hard to find, so here’s the address.

Argo Tea at Connors Park
871 N. Wabash Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611

Travel

What I’ll Be Reading

June 30, 2018 RaeAnna

I’m off on vacation! I will be gone for four weeks. Have no fear, I will be posting regularly. Probably more than I normally post because I will be doing a whole bunch of cool stuff. Not only will there be food and travel posts, but I will continue reviewing a bunch of books. I already have a couple done and ready to go.

So. What am I bringing to read?

Fruit of the Drunken Tree by Ingrid Roja Contreras
One of the most anticipated novels of the summer, I’m excited to dig in.

No One Tells You This by Glynnis Macnicol
Simon & Schuster sent me this book, and I’m excited to read a new feminist memoir.

Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
I’ve been wanting to read this, and I’m getting around to it!

The Color of Law by Richard Rothstein
I’m anticipating this to be a very sobering book, but I like a dose of reality on vacation.

The Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak
This was suggested to me, and I can’t wait to read my first Turkish author.

I Must Say by Martin Short
I have always enjoyed Martin Short’s comedy, so this should be good.

My Life on the Road by Gloria Steinem
The iconic feminist has lived her life traveling finally starts telling her stories from the road.

The Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal
As an Iowan on my way to the midwest, this is a no brainer.

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
I’m rereading this because it was a favorite of mine when I was a whole lot younger.

The Singles Game by Lauren Weisberger
A fun, light read about the intense world of elite tennis by the author of The Devil Wears Prada.

Ten books to last me four weeks. Hopefully I will read them all. It’s the goal! Luckily, I’ll be in the vicinity of bookstores my entire trip, so if I run out I can always go buy more!

Travel, Travel Eats

Superior Bathhouse Brewery

June 8, 2018 RaeAnna

Superior Bathhouse Brewery in downtown Hot Springs, Arkansas is a must. I go every time I am in town. I have introduced several friends and even family to this lovely place.

Hot Springs, Arkansas is known for their hot springs. Wow! Shocker, I know. Beautiful bathhouses sprung up in downtown for the rich and famous way-back-when. They fell into disrepair for many years. Many have been refurbished because they’re historic, and it would be a tragedy to see the architecture go to waste. There are two which have remained functional bathhouses. One is a store. One is a museum. Another was turned into a BREWERY!

Beau was trying to get in on my root beer.

I am not a drinker anymore, but all my friends and family are. They do have a killer root beer, which I imbibe with much gusto. I am super picky about root beer, so this is a glowing and hard earned recommendation. They have eighteen beers on tap. Some they make themselves; others they bring in. The floor is white hexagon tile with black grout, trés retro. There are tables, a hightop, seats along the huge window front, and picnic benches out front – hello dog friendly! The servers are always lovely and knowledgeable about the beers on tap. It’s a great place to sit and enjoy a drink after or before a day of shopping or spas or just to people watch.

My family got a flight of all 18 beers on tap.

The building they inhabit is Superior Bathhouse, so the name stays true to its roots. It stood vacant for thirty-ish years before Rose Schweikhart moved to Hot Springs in 2011 to open a brewery. It’s the first of its kind in several ways. It is the first and only brewery housed in a U.S. National Park. It took Schweikhart two years to negotiate a lease agreement with the federal government, but she did it! The city is famous for their 144° spring water, which is used at the brewery to brew beer. They are the only brewery in the world to use thermal spring water for brewing. Woah. They opened their doors in 2013 and continually make new and unusual beers to satisfy pallets of all inclination. Seriously. They’re cool. Not only are they are brewery, they are also a full service restaurant and event space. The food is pretty awesome too.

I love going. I don’t think I have been to Hot Springs without stopping in for a root beer since I discovered it in 2014. I’m a touch obsessed. If you ever stop in and post to Instagram, make sure to use #hotspringsontap.

Superior Bathhouse Brewery
329 Central Avenue
Hot Springs, AR 71901
Opens at 11:00

A mandatory ‘let’s see the cool floor’ picture.

Experiences, Travel

San Antonio

October 9, 2017September 8, 2019 RaeAnna

I was not supposed to go to San Antonio at all this year. Not that I was avoiding it, but my travels were taking me elsewhere. Time is limited, and all I had managed to do was drive through San Antonio on my way to other destinations. Instead, I ended up in San Antonio twice! Once in August and once in October. In August, I joined my best friend in San Antonio for a day and a half. In October, I joined my mother on a trip she had planned. Both last minute trips, but those are the best sometimes!

San Antonio has a lot to offer. I ended up staying around the River Walk mostly. Since I was just a tag along, I followed their plans. With my mom, I stayed at the Marriott overlooking the River Walk and downtown San Antonio. The patio was lovely and provided the perfect reading nook in between tourist activities. It really couldn’t have been a better view.

San Antonio is a historic city with events dating all the way back to 1536 when the river was discovered by the Spanish explorer Alvar Nuñez Cabeza de Vaca. Although, the history does not end their. San Antonio is now well known for their River Walk and The Alamo. The city has a lot more to offer, but these are the most notable features. San Antonio was founded in 1716, when the Spanish War Council approved a fort on the San Antonio river. In 1820, Americans are allowed to settle in the Spanish territory of Texas, but it isn’t until 1825 that Americans settle in San Antonio. However, in 1830, Mexico declares American immigration to Texas illegal. In 1836, the Alamo falls after Americans lay siege on the city, at which point it becomes the Republic of Texas until American annexation in 1845. Due to devastating flooding in the early twentieth century, the city of San Antonio begins petitioning for the construction of dams, which leads to the River Walk as we know it.

The River Walk is located in the center of San Antonio with downtown incorporated into the scenery. One must walk down a flight of stairs or take an elevator to get to the river because the street runs above the river walk. The River Walk is miles long with restaurants, shops, and hotels on either side. The buildings have two main entrances one at river level and one at street level. Along the river, there are bridges connecting the two sides. At street level, there are bigger bridges running over everything. Walking along the river, fountains run into the water. People are all around bustling with the happiness which comes with tourism. The River Walk would not be a lovely place to settle in for a good, quiet read, but it is a wonderful place full of photo opportunities.

When you ascend the stairs up to the street level, another equally busy scene unfolds. The streets are filled with shops geared toward tourists and San Antonians alike. Downtown is lovely.

As a non-native Texan, I had an image of the Alamo, which did not hold up when compared to reality. In my mind’s eye, the Alamo was in the middle of the country taking up an enormous amount of land because “everything’s bigger in Texas.” The Alamo is located in downtown San Antonio just across the street from the River Walk. It was as beautiful as I thought it would be, but it was far less imposing. Instead it had the quaint beauty of a small stone church, which is exactly what it was once upon a time.

I think most of us know the Alamo from the saying “Remember the Alamo,” but we don’t exactly know what that means. The Alamo is located along the San Antonio river. The land changed hands between the Spanish, Mexicans, Texans, and Americans. The Alamo started out as a church; however, it quickly transitioned into a military garrison because of it’s strategic position. “Remember the Alamo” was the battle cry during the fight for independence from Mexico, which came to the Republic of Texas in 1836. There you go!

The Alamo is gorgeous and historical. The gardens are beautiful. It was an incredibly hot day in the beginning of October when I visited. It was around 96 degrees Fahrenheit, but inside the stone walls making up the church it was incredibly cool. No wonder ye people of olden days built everything with stone: kept the heat at bay. The Alamo, though beautiful, is not an ideal place to read. Tons of great reading nooks, but the people are overwhelmingly everywhere.

Over all, San Antonio is a great place to visit, but if you’re looking to get some reading done, book a hotel with a patio overlooking the River Walk.

Experiences, Travel

Ames Public Library

September 14, 2017September 8, 2019 RaeAnna

I grew up in Ames, Iowa. Growing up the library was a mainstay in my life, and it often comes up when discussing childhood memories. The house I spent my first eight years in was located about half a mile from the library, so my mother, brother, and I would regularly go for walks to return and check out books.

When I was in Ames last month, I revisited the library for the first time in almost a decade. The library I remember as a child does not exist anymore. It has the same location, a lot of the same exterior, and the same name, but it went under an extensive renovation and expansion a few years ago. Walking through the library, I recognized nothing. It had vastly changed for the better. I think the expansion and renovation is amazing. It was a little bittersweet for me, but I think money is best spent on books and knowledge and community outreach, which a library epitomizes. I wandered around with my parents enjoying the newness of the building until I wandered into the kid’s section of the library.

As a little girl, there was a display case made of wood. Every month or few weeks, the display behind glass would change to reflect the season, activities, or holidays. It was the first, the last, and my favorite thing I looked at whenever I went to the library. Even as a teenager, I would stop by the display to take a peak. I had forgotten about the display. Like childhood, it had disappeared into a fuzzy haze I like to call the past. When I walked into the children’s section at the library, the first thing I saw was the display. In a library I no longer recognized, the display had remained the same. So many memories came rushing back all at once. I am normally a very level headed and non-emotional person. I do not cry often. As I stood there looking at the display with my Mom and Dad, I started to tear up. We were taking pictures for this article, and unfortunately, there are no pictures where I was not teary eyed. It’s funny how childhood memories can do that to you: sneak up and pounce out of nowhere.

Libraries hold memories for a lot of people I am sure. The library holds so many memories from my childhood. I grew up in that library in a way. For me, the library was the epitome of the world. Knowledge was always the key to everything. If I could access the knowledge the library held, I would have access to the world. Or at least, that’s how it felt when I was little.

I read A Midsummer Night’s Dream in second grade. I was inspired. When I was done, the first place I went was the library. I had no idea how to navigate the library, so my mother taught me. This was in the era when the card catalogue still existed next to the computer while everything was digitized. My mother taught me how to look up books in the card catalogue and then through the computer. At first, it was difficult, and I kept having to ask my Mom for help. Eventually, I got the hang of things. It was the clouds parting and the sun shining through moment for me. I was able to find books about history, literature, language, and more.

The library was the beginning of the story of my life that would unfold.

In college, I worked all four years at the library. I enjoyed it immensely. It was a wonderful way to spend my academic career surrounded by the books I had worshiped my entire life. At Cornell, I studied Literature, French, and Russian, which is basically a triple degree in how to read well. In my life after college, I am now a freelance literary translator and editor and writer, a senior editor at a literary magazine, a rampant reader, and a book blogger – obviously, you are here reading this.

The Ames Public Library founded a passion that will stay with me forever just like the memories I cherish.

Experiences, Travel

Week in Hot Springs Village

September 10, 2017September 8, 2019 RaeAnna

I’m getting around to this post so late!!! I’ve been busy with life. There’s no other excuse.

I ended up going to Hot Springs Village because of Hurricane Harvey hitting Houston hard. I like to call this time my hurrication. Luckily, my grandparents live six and half hours away in Hot Springs Village, Arkansas. I planned on being there for three days. Unfortunately, I ended up staying nine days. Oh well! I had lots to keep me busy, and many books were read while I was away.

Hot Springs Village is a gated golfing community twenty minutes outside of Hot Springs. It’s a beautiful area. My grandparents moved there from New Orleans when I was fifteen. They’re always surprised I love visiting them. It’s a golfing community, and I hate golfing. The residents are mostly retired, so no distracting activities for a young person. The entire time I’m there, I entertain myself by walking in the mountains and reading. So mostly reading because I’m not a huge fan of exercise. It’s really a reader’s paradise. So much outdoor space and very few people make for a fabulous back drop for a reading marathon.

If you get bored of reading inside or around the village, you can always wander your way into Hot Springs, which is full of fun things to do.

Hot Springs is a tourist town with lots of national parks to adventure through. Hot Springs is a city with quite the history. It was first explored in 1673. The land was a part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. Prudhomme became the first settler of what would become Hot Springs in 1807. In 1818, the United States gained the land from the Quapaw tribe; you can find many businesses and landmarks named after the Quapaws including a Bathhouse. Hot Springs was a renowned destination for bathers drawn to the healing thermal waters bubbling up from the underground springs. An area of downtown Hot Springs became known as Bathhouse Row for their beautiful spas. During the Civil War, there was a decline in bathers coming to the springs, and many citizens of the city fled as troops neared Little Rock. Post-Civil War era saw a surge in population as the city rebuilt and expanded. In the early 20th century, Hot Springs was attractive to the rich and famous, as well as, the rich and infamous. It became a hotbed for gangsters and illegal gambling.

Hot Springs is now a tourist destination attracting those who want a piece of Americana and to experience the lovely spas fed by the hot springs. The architecture in historic Hot Springs is absolutely gorgeous. Only a few bathhouses are still functional, but many still stand and house museums, shops, and even a brewery. I have experienced the spas at the Quapaw Bathhouse, and they are gorgeous! The floor in the basement is warm because of the heat radiating from the springs, which run underneath the ground.

I love shopping in the historic district. I can’t go to Hot Springs without frequenting the Bathhouse Soapery. Though they ship and have other stores, they are headquartered in Hot Springs. There shop is beautiful, light, and smells like heaven. Their products are the only ones I use! There’s a great candy store next door called Pour Some Sugar on Me Sweet Shoppe. It was definitely difficult for me to leave without handing them my wallet because of my addiction to sweets! There’s a great place called The Pancake House. It’s only open until 12:45 pm, so get there early. I highly recommend the sausage; it’s homemade. There are gorgeous fountains throughout the historic district fed by the springs; you can see steam rising off the water. The historic Arlington Hotel is a must see. It’s huge and you can’t miss it!

If you’ve had enough of the historic district, there is more than enough to do for the outdoorsy folks. Hot Springs is surrounded by the Ouachita Mountains. Everywhere you look you’ll find gorgeous views of the mountains and forests. Lake Ouachita is amazing for those who enjoy the water! It’s huge, and you could spend days exploring it. It’s great for those who want a break from technology. There is no reception in that area… At least, for me anyways. If you’re into kayaking, this is an amazing destination. There is also Hot Springs National Park, which is awe inspiring.

Arkansas may not be at the top of everyone’s must see list, but Hot Springs is a beautiful place to visit, relax, and read. It has good food, good views, and enough history and activities to keep everyone happy. If you’re every in the area, let me know! I’m happy to lend a suggestion or twelve.