Month: November 2015

Garlic Festival – Gilroy, CA

Gilroy, California is the “Garlic Capital of the World”.  The city of Gilroy holds an annual Garlic Festival every July .

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The smell of garlic is in the air as soon as you step foot in Gilroy. It is a wonderful smell! If you want to try garlic, no problem, it is on everything, from garlic french fries to ice-cream. The grilled corn with garlic butter was my favorite.

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There are live cooking competitions, which makes you feel like you are on the set  of a Food Network show.  I was lucky enough to get to take a picture with one of the pans.

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There is also live music and arts and crafts that you are able to enjoy.

If you have the ability to get to Gilroy, California you definitely need to experience this event.  The dates  for the upcoming festival are July 29-31, 2016.  You can buy tickets in advance at: www.gilroygarlicfestival.com

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Enjoy!

T

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Dallas Aquarium – Dallas, TX

I enjoy visiting different aquariums when I travel. My visit to the Dallas Aquarium was quite fun. They have an indoor rain forest that have tropical flowers, birds, and monkeys.

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There is a cool walk-through tunnel of water where you can see the fish swimming all around you. They have so many different types of tropical fish.

I was very excited to get to see several different turtles. I love turtles!

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The best surprise that I found at the aquarium was an alligator.

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If you are visiting Dallas, make sure to take some time and visit the aquarium.  Check out their hours and exhibits at: www.dwazoo.com

Enjoy!

T

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Starved Rock State Park – Utica, IL

Enjoying the outdoors in Illinois is important to do before the long winter arrives. Starved Rock State Park offers lots of walking and hiking paths with beautiful views of the Illinois River.

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The park is known to have sparkling waterfalls, however to my disappointment the day I visited there was no water to make the falls due to a drought. Along the hike to Eagle Cliff Overlook, I was lucky enough to see a huge doe eating in the brush.

Another great feature of the park is that it is dog friendly. SO many sure you bring out your pups for some fresh air.

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The walk did make me hungry and I was happy to see the visitors center had a snack shop. It served homemade artisan ice cream. Yummy!

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Learn about all the things you can do at the park by visiting their website at: www.starvedrockstatepark.org

Enjoy!

T

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BBQ’d Productions Grill – Third Lake, IL

I went out with my family for a big BBQ dinner.  This new place we tried smoke all of their own meats right there. They had everything from brisket, pork, chicken, and baby back ribs. We started out with the BBQ nachos that were loaded with brisket and covered in several different cheeses. They drizzled 2 of their homemade BBQ sauces on top. The nachos were so big they could be a meal on its own.

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Speaking of BBQ sauces, they make 6 different sauces there and many of them are extremely unique. I wish I would have bought some to take with me. The flavors are:

  • Carolina Vinegar
  • Sam Adams (yes you can taste the beer)
  • Alabama White
  • Maple Chipotle (had a nice kick)
  • IBC Root Beer (my favorite)
  • Chicago Sweet & Spicy

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For dinner I got my favorite – pulled pork.  I split it up into several piles so that I could try it with each of my favorite BBQ sauces. But I had to wash the BBQ down with something. They had a spin on a Moscow Mule call a “Bearded Mule”. Their twist was adding a splash of orange juice and fresh lemon juice to the vodka and ginger beer.  It was very refreshing.

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If you are in the mood for BBQ you need to check this place www.wegrillitall.com

Enjoy!

T

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Hillside Family Restaurant – Grays Lake, IL

I love diners that are family owned and that is exactly what Hillside Family Restaurant is. While visiting my family we stopped off here for lunch.

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I was excited to see that the soup of the day was chicken dumpling. I struck up a conversation with my server and she told me about how they make all the soups homemade everyday. You could tell as soon as you tasted the soup.

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She also helped me select the sandwich I should try. I went for the Italian Beef.  The homemade roll was packed full of tender, thinly sliced beef. The peppers and onions added extra flavor and it was finished off with a layer of cheese. The au jus sauce came on the side and I barely used it because the meat was so juicy on its own.

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The other great thing about Hillside is that they serve breakfast all day. I have to make sure that I come back so I can get breakfast for dinner.

Check them out at : www.hillsidefamilyrestaurant.com

Enjoy!

T

Space Needle – Seattle, WA

What is the first thing you see when you look at the Seattle skyline? The Space Needle naturally. It’s a popular place, so be prepared to wait in line.

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Once your inside, you take an elevator all the way up to the observation deck. There is where you will get the best views of Seattle.

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Be prepared – not only is it high but it is really windy.

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What I didn’t know until I got there was they have a restaurant “Sky City Restaurant” that rotates around to allow you to see the city while you eat. If you are interested in that experience, make sure you make reservations.

To learn about the history of the Space Needle and check ticket prices visit their website at: www.spaceneedle.com

Enjoy!

T

Pike Brewing Company – Seattle, WA

After walking around the pier and Pike Place Market, I needed to stop for a quick snack and something to drink. That’s when I saw Pike Brewing Company. They make their own beer with names like Monk’s Uncle. And what goes great with beer? Homemade soft pretzels!

When I was done with the pretzels, something else caught my attention on the menu, it was their Framboise Float.  They take Linderman Framboise (a Belgium Lambic style fruit beer – basically raspberry beer that is sweet and tart at the same time) and they add chocolate ice cream. YUMMY!!!!!!

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It was an adult float and it was awesome. I ended up going back for another later on during the trip.

You have to check them out. The restaurant gets crowded but there is always open seating at the bar. www.pikebrewing.com

Enjoy!

T

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Homecoming Tailgate – Gainesville, Fl

Homecoming is always a special event during the fall. To be able to enjoy it with my sisters is even better.

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Rather than going out to eat, we decided to tailgate and cook up some hotdogs on the grill. Plus we got to enjoy it with chips and queso, macaroni salad, and of course beer.

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Sometimes taking it easy and just relaxing is the best thing.

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Enjoy!

T

The Gum Wall – Seattle, WA

As I was exploring around Pikes Place, dodging flying fish, I stumbled upon a bizarre attraction – a giant wall of gum. It’s located on Post Alley, just under the market.

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It’s pretty simple – a wall with tons and ton of gum. While you’re there feel free to add your’s to the collection.  It’s both gross and amazing and something you will not see everywhere.

Enjoy!

T

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Michou Deli – Seattle, WA

I was walking through Pikes Place Market, enjoying the sights and sounds of the crowd. Not far from the original Starbucks location I came across Michou Deli. They were really crowded inside so I knew I had to go in and check out what they had.

As I looked through their display case, my eyes landed on rice balls. They were stacked on a plate and were calling my name. I ordered 2 and made sure they warmed them up for me.

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Since the place was packed I couldn’t find a table to eat so. I decided to sit down on the sidewalk and eat my rice balls before they got cold.

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The mozzarella cheese just oozed out of the crispy rice. Their version of rice balls were a little different because it was just the cheese in the middle and no meat and peas like you will find in New York and New Jersey. But there will be no complaints from me – they tasted just perfect along with their homemade pasta sauce.

Michou Deli has a large menu of salads, sandwiches, and soups, so make sure you stop by. You can see their menu at their website: www.michoudeli.com

Enjoy!

T

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