I think I’m going to Boston, I think I’ll start a new life. So are the lyrics of the Augustana hit from the early 2000s that fill my head every time I go here. It’s a great city for new starts and rejuvenations, being both young and vibrant whilst steeped in history and tradition.
One if by land, two if by sea…
Inexplicably, I’ve been to San Antonio several times for work. Texas’s second largest city, it’s one of the fastest growing cities in the country. There’s a huge US armed forces contingent there and is probably best known for being home to the Alamo and previously, Tim Duncan.
Beyond that, the food and drink scene in San Antonio is fantastic. Not only do you have spectacular Tex Mex regional cuisine, but every restaurant has it’s own unique look and feel. The decor in some of these restaurants–especially the ones in repurposed spaces is something to behold. It’s a multicultural city with so many identities, and that’s what makes it a great place to create some memories.
Remember the Alamo…
I hadn’t been to Newark Liberty (EWR) in years, like more than a decade, and it has changed considerably for the better. One of the airports serving NYC as well as most of the Garden State, it has very heavy traffic. There were people everywhere.
We’re talking a TON of restaurants, shops and amenities. It’s still crowded, and the addition of said trendy restaurants in the middle of the concourses narrows the walking path quite a bit. But, at least there’s stuff to see and do.
I was really pleasantly surprised at the amount of food choices and the presence of the Global Food Bazaar, although ramen, pizza and philly cheesesteaks doesn’t quite scream “global” to me…but at least they tried.
There are 121 gates in three terminals A-C, each with three concourses. A serves JetBlue, Alaska, Virgin, Southwest, Air Canada, American, United Express. B is international, Delta and Spirit. C is United and is the terminal I passed through (i.e walked circles in). If you’re flying in from the north, sit on the left side of the plane. You’ll catch a great view of Manhattan and will even be able to see the lights of Times Square from very high up (think about all that energy being used!)
Remember: ✈️ = EW-R to ✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️ = the Boss
Convenience to the city: ✈️✈️✈️ (airtrain connects to the train/amtrak station which will connect you basically everywhere in the tri-state area)
Ease of navigating through terminals: ✈️✈️ (the hallways are narrow because of restaurants taking up the middle portion)
Dining: ✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️ (Global Bazaar food market, CBGB, all sorts of chains, upmarket restaurants/bars, fast casual bistro types, Dumpling Bar–I would skip this food is meh, neapolitan pizza, french brasserie, steakhouse, sushi/ramen, oyster bar — like everything you could want at exorbitant prices)
Bathrooms: ✈️✈️ (clean but there could be more of them dispersed)
Charging stations/wifi: ✈️✈️✈️ (free wifi available, plentiful charging)
Amenities: ✈️✈️✈️✈️ (the shops are a little weird, America! store? Swatch? There is a Metropolitan Museum of Art store so that’s a plus, CBGB’s, spas–mainly the things to see here are food based and of course, people watching–the best activity on layover)
how bazaar
Sacramento may seem like a random place to visit, but thanks to Greta Gerwig’s stunning (read: STUNNING) ode to cinema and her hometown, Lady Bird, California’s capital city is taking its turn to bask in its own deserved spotlight.
I think the best way to describe this city is that when you’re here, you feel like you’re in a vintage Instagram filter, a bygone era of Americana with modern splashes. It is simply an easy place to be. There’s that old school charm, from the architectural gems of the Fabulous Forties to the neighborhoods dotted with old neon signage (featured prominently in the movie and as you know if you’ve read this blog, are one of my favorite things) and the proximity of farms and citrus tree groves.
Beyond the capital, it is one of the top destinations for locavore cuisine, earning it the nickname of “America’s farm to fork capital.” For a city of its size, there’s every type of food you could imagine, and ingredients are so fresh due to its proximity to California’s central agriculture industry. People forget California is one of the largest farming states in the country–next time you eat those strawberries and avocados, think of us.
Eureka, I’ve found it!
Charlotte, North Carolina is one of the country’s financial centers which draws in a lot of young professionals and individuals with money. With a growing population, the demand for restaurants, attractions and entertainment rises, and the city has stepped up. It honestly does not feel like much of a Southern city, other than its hospitality, the downtown feels like mini Wall Street with its city of skyscrapers.
The cool thing about this city is that there’s a real sense of humor about it. There’s quotes all around town, and whimsical public art displays. Not what you might expect from a city that boasts the Nascar Hall of Fame. The unexpected it what makes this city so special, and a great place to spend a short weekend.
As far as bucket lists go, Niagara Falls is typically a popular featured destination, for good reason. I can’t believe I’d never been until now! It’s one of the most beautiful natural wonders of the world, and it’s right in our own backyard. *Whispers: the Canadian side is better. Sore-y, not sore-y.
Of all of the places I’ve been in our great neighbor to the north, Canada, I had never made it to the eastern side of the country. But, with all of my immediate family out of the country for Thanksgiving, no time was better to seize the moment and head across the border to Toronto. I traded turkey for Tim Hortons, and I regret nothing.
Oh Canada…
Growing up in Southern California, I spent some time in Los Angeles, but never actually lived there. So, that makes me a total tourist whenever I come to town, and I love it.
It’s sun-kissed, starry-eyed and there’s literally everything you could ever want. There’s beaches, top education, sports, movie stars, museums, shopping, innovative food and technology. There’s perfect weather and beautiful bodies, it’s the epitome of the glamorous life.
I love LA. (we love it).
Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR, formerly known as Bob Hope) is the small airport that also serves the greater Los Angeles area, namely more convenient for Pasadena/Glendale/Valley area. This is the airport you want to fly into if you’re headed to LA. I cannot stress this enough, bypass the pit of despair that is LAX (unless of course you’re international, then of course, vaya con dios).
There are two terminals, A and B. A serves Southwest, JetBlue and American with 9 gates and B has 5 serving Alaska, Delta and United.
There’s not much to eat here, but there is Guy Fieri Burger and a Peet’s coffee, and really what more do you need in life?
Remember: ✈️ = bob nope ✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️ = bob dope
Convenience to city = ✈️✈️✈️✈️ (it cannot be overstated how much easier than LAX it is)
Ease of navigating through terminals: ✈️✈️✈️ (it is very small, so it’s easy)
Convenience of security lines: ✈️✈️✈️ (small = fast)
Dining: ✈️ (Peet’s, Fresco and Guy’s burgers)
Bathrooms: ✈️✈️ (clean, not that many)
Charging stations/wifi: ✈️✈️✈️ (free wi-fi, good amount of outlets)
Amenities: ✈️ (there’s usually some art or collections displayed)
Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, Thailand is one of the largest (4th) and busiest (20th) in the world. Certainly it is the busiest in Thailand, as the popular tourism destination brings more than 50 million passengers through each year. It is the hub for Thai and Bangkok airlines, so you’re likely to spend more than a few hours here if you’re heading to Chiang Mai or Phuket via those airlines. I, in fact, have spent one night in Bangkok (Airport). Sorry, not sorry.
Be aware that there are some unscrupulous individuals looking to pray on tourists by acting as unofficial tour guides and cab drivers. Be safe and be careful, as these people can be very slick and in some cases have relationships with airport workers. Check and double check that is via the most legitimate channel before going anywhere with anyone.
It is about 16 miles from the city center, and depending on the traffic, it can take a long time to get there. You can also get to and from the airport via rail. There is one main terminal split into 7 concourses A-G with about 120 gates, with C-G serving international flights.
There’s a ton of things to see here, and it holds the distinction of being one of the most instagrammed airports in the world. There’s statues depicting Thai folklore, there’s Garudas in the departure ticketing area. There’s actual plays and live music depicting Thai legends before you even enter the main terminal. It’s a great place to have a layover, but if you’re so inclined, there’s also a Novotel Hotel on site.
There’s basically a high end mall’s worth of shops here: Armani, Burberry, Celine, Chanel, Chopard, Dior, Fendi, Ferragamo, Gucci, Hermes, Longchamp, Prada and Zegna. There’s airline lounges abound, and I will say the Bangkok Airlines lounge has really great snacks and juices available.
The food options are just okay. There are a lot of fast food options, asian and grab and go mostly, but there’s Burger King, Starbucks and a Kinramen, which has a decent bowl of ramen. There’s a lot of Thai coffee shops and also a Mango Tree, which is an international chain. The thing I don’t love is that the asian food is located near the asian airlines, while the western food is near the flights from US and Europe. There’s a lot of walking involved in this airport.
Remember: ✈️ = thai again to ✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️ = thai to stay here as long as possible
Convenience to the city: ✈️✈️ (taxi, rail, a little far from the city)
Ease of navigating through terminals: ✈️✈️✈️ (very large, a lot of walking)
Convenience of check in/security lines: ✈️✈️ (it’s a very busy airport)
Dining: ✈️✈️✈️ (could be better)
Bathrooms: ✈️✈️ (there could be more available, like I said there’s a lot of walking)
Charging stations/wifi: ✈️✈️✈️ (free wifi not available, decent amount of charging)
Amenities: ✈️✈️✈️✈️ (lots of things to see, Thai souvenir handicrafts and shops, airline lounges, observation deck)
In honor of the CMA’s happening tonight, there is even more travel in and out of BNA than usual. Nashville International Airport has got to be one of the most rapidly growing airports in the world. It is packed every time I come here, and they’re adding routes one after the other. They will surely have to undertake a large scale addition, which is in the works for the next few years–especially since British Airways is adding flights to London in 2018 via Dreamliner.
It’s about 10 miles from Downtown and traffic usually isn’t too bad. As it is right now, there’s one main terminal with 47 gates split amongst four concourses (although the fourth is inactive). A is United and Air Canada, B is Alaska, Frontier, JetBlue, Delta and WestJet. C is Southwest and American.
This is a pretty fun airport in terms of layovers. There’s not the best food, but there’s live music/entertainment, which makes the time fly, as it were. There’s an actual branch of Tootsie’s, the famous Honky Tonk from Lower Broad. There’s large, clean bathrooms, and it’s pretty easy to navigate.
Security can be heavy at times, and a little slow, so plan accordingly. There’s also always a high chance you’ll see someone famous walking through the crowd, so keep your eyes peeled (flights to NY and LA are most fruitful).
Remember: ✈️ = achy, breaky, heart to ✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️ = like it, love it, want some more of it
Convenience to the city: ✈️✈️ (~20 minute drive)
Ease of navigating through terminals: ✈️✈️✈️ (it’s not very big, but can be a hike to the end of the terminal)
Convenience of check in/security lines: ✈️✈️ (sometimes it can take a very long time to get through this line)
Dining: ✈️✈️✈️ (Burger King, O’Charley’s, Starbucks, Familia, Tootsie’s, Whitt’s BBQ)
Bathrooms: ✈️✈️ (could have more, but they’re pretty big)
Charging stations/wifi: ✈️✈️ (free wifi available, decent amount of charging)
Amenities: ✈️✈️✈️ (live music that is better than most popular bands, minimal shops, pretty good people watching)
Rental car facility ✈️✈️✈️ (connected to the terminal, hours can be weird)
Traveling docs 