Hipmunk Hotels: Unique Midwestern Restaurants in Peoria, Grand Rapids, Detroit, and More

April 18, 2016

One of the perks of being a traveling salesman was the food. No matter where I traveled, I made it my mission to look passed the easy choice of chain restaurants and seek out the hidden gems. Much like in your own hometown, cities across the United States are filled with local eateries serving delicious food. This is especially true in the Midwest. Traditions from early immigrants are honored alongside modern American…

Explore Virginia Craft Beer Scene in Richmond, Virginia Beach, Norfolk, and more

April 14, 2016

Virginia craft beer has recently come out of nowhere on the national craft beer scene as a major player on the East Coast, attempting to rival neighboring craft beer powerhouse North Carolina. After losing major deals on East Coast production facilities for Sierra Nevada, Oskar Blues, and New Belgium to North Carolina, state legislatures got their act together and passed a bill to help make Virginia more attractive to the craft beer…

Charlotte, Travel

Exploring the Charlotte Rail Trail

April 13, 2016

I’m starting to get a little jealous of my husband’s travel writing and blogging “career.” I mean, can you really call getting paid to travel and write a career? He seems to think so… While he was off eating his way through Spain, France, and Belgium, I sat at home three months pregnant. While he spent what felt like the entire summer drinking beer in Asheville, I watched idly in the midst…

A Break from Road Food at the Pink Pig BBQ Hardeeville, South Carolina

April 5, 2016

Between my house in Charlotte, North Carolina and my parents’ house in The Villages, Florida are a whole lot of places to stop for lunch and hardly any at all. There are a plethora of McDonalds followed by a good number of Burger Kings, Wendy’s, and Toxic Hells. A handful of Subways and Arby’s, the occasional Chick-Fil-A, and one Zaxby’s. These same choices repeated themselves when my parents lived in Ohio, minus…

Food, Travel

Le Calabash Visits North Carolina

April 1, 2016

I’ve had the opportunity to go on a Culinary Adventure with Chefs Alison and Sidney Bond of Le Calabash twice before. The first time was on their African Culinary Adventure, which I can only describe as just shy of magical. The second time was on my whirlwind tour of Spain, France, and Belgium last year. I dropped into their culinary school in the Loire Valley for a taste of a French Culinary…

Comfortable Hotels in Bellevue After Exploring the Region’s Craft Beer and Wine

March 30, 2016

Bellevue, Washington, is the gateway to exploring Seattle’s regional craft beer and wine scene, both of which are worthy reasons to travel to the area. Two breweries — Bellevue Brewing and Geuax Brewing — are in Bellevue, while a mere 20 minutes away you’ll find Woodinville Wine Country, which is home to Chateau Ste Michelle and 90 other wineries. Access to the big city is not the only reason that attracts tourists…

Hipmunk Hotels: A California Beercation Road Trip to Oakland, Sacramento, San Luis Obispo, and More

March 28, 2016

With legendary breweries like Stone Brewing, Green Flash Brewing, and Ballast Point Brewing, San Diego has earned itself a designation as a craft beer mecca. However, navigating the city’s 100-plus breweries can be quite daunting. Which ones are must visits and which ones are meh? As an alternative to a beercation in San Diego, I suggest a California beercation road trip to see what the rest of the state has to offer….

Travel, United States

Hipmunk Hotels: Big Texas Festivals in Plano, Corpus Christi, Galveston, and More

March 25, 2016

Whether it’s a food festival, beer or wine festival, or county fair, festivals are a great way to experience local culture and truly learn about a city or region. Some of my best travel moments happened while sharing a table with strangers over beers or tapping my foot along to a local band celebrating the musical heritage of the region. It’s a true sense of Americana. There isn’t a better place to…

Brewery Snapshot: Westvleteren 12 at Sint Sixtus Abbey in Belgium

March 23, 2016

On Monday, I began a new series on the blog covering my trip to Belgium last spring. On Tuesday, terrorists launched a series of cowardice attacks in Brussels. My thoughts and prayers go out to the people of Belgium. Based on the advice from friends, I considered delaying the series. However, as I pondered this decision, the justification for not publishing the articles became more and more unclear. Was it out of sensitivity…

Brewery Snapshot: De Struise Brouwers in Oostvleteren, Belgium

March 21, 2016

This edition of Brewery Snapshot* takes a look at De Struise Brouwers in Oostvleteren, Belgium. With the brewery’s limited hours – Saturday’s from 2-6:00pm – many beer tourists overlook Struise on their beer pilgrimage to neighboring Saint Sixtus Abbey to drink Westvleteren 12. This is a huge mistake. Struise brews creative and innovative beers that are a pleasant contrast to the discipline and tradition of a Trappist Brewery. Besides the beer, Struise…

Travel

Hipmunk Hotels: Unique Midwestern Restaurants in Peoria, Grand Rapids, Detroit, and More

Explore Virginia Craft Beer Scene in Richmond, Virginia Beach, Norfolk, and more

Exploring the Charlotte Rail Trail

A Break from Road Food at the Pink Pig BBQ Hardeeville, South Carolina

Le Calabash Visits North Carolina

Comfortable Hotels in Bellevue After Exploring the Region’s Craft Beer and Wine

Hipmunk Hotels: A California Beercation Road Trip to Oakland, Sacramento, San Luis Obispo, and More

Hipmunk Hotels: Big Texas Festivals in Plano, Corpus Christi, Galveston, and More

Brewery Snapshot: Westvleteren 12 at Sint Sixtus Abbey in Belgium

Brewery Snapshot: De Struise Brouwers in Oostvleteren, Belgium

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