TRAVEL – neverbeenso

Coordinates Are The New Black

Published on December 20, 2016December 20, 2016 by neverbeenso1 Comment

I’ve always been a hoarder of mementos. That ‘best friends’ necklace from middle school, that thirteenth birthday card from Grandma, that playlist from freshman year in college; if it relates to a significant memory, I most likely still own it. I love the way I’m instantly taken back and filled with memories when I see one of these or hear that song.

Insert coordinates jewelry. |Scroll to the bottom for DISCOUNT CODE|

While photos and journals and cards are a medium for special memories, they aren’t always easy to keep handy. Either in a photo album shoved on a shelf or a keepsake box under the bed, I really only get a chance to remember these times during a spring cleaning or a move. Coordinates jewelry has changed the game, allowing special memories to be worn via coordinates of a location and an inscription.

Lat & Lo founder, Kellie Ivey, “never imagined what these pieces would come to mean to thousands of people around the world.” I’ve received coordinates and I’ve gifted coordinates and the reaction is always the same, pure sentiment.

The first coordinates piece I received was after Will and I’s first big trip together. We went to Italy. We both instantly fell in love with Florence, as if we were meant to live there. One of our favorite memories was climbing the Duomo. While touristy, we made it a point to be the first in line so that when we reached the top, we had it to ourselves for a few moments. It was surreal. It was beautiful. And that following Christmas, Will gifted me a piece with those coordinates on it. Whenever I look down, I am instantly taken back to that early morning breeze, the tight stairwell of 463 each way and the satisfaction and appreciation we felt at the top.

Each of the members of my bridal party are like family to me. I’ve known them all for different lengths and met them all at various places. I wanted to remind them of those times because they happened so long ago, but without them, my life would be so different. I got them each a cuff with the coordinates of where we met and an inside joke/nickname that I knew would trigger a memory. When I gifted them, I had several teary eyes staring back at me and I knew they felt what I felt and how special each of our bonds was to each other.

My most recent piece. If you read my most recent blog post, you know the disaster we faced with our original wedding venue and the hell associated with it. That was one of the hardest things Will and I have ever faced as a couple together. When choosing a song for us to walk into as our first entrance as Husband and Wife, “Beautiful Day” by U2 felt so fitting. We knew that no matter how that day turned out, it would be beautiful to us because we were officially married. So, Lat & Lo gifted me this gorgeous vertical bar necklace with the coordinates of our new venue where we were married with the inscription “Beautiful Day” on the back. I’ve #neverbeenso happy to show this off.

It lays right over my heart and I instantly feel joy and strength when I look down and see it or when someone asks me about the numbers, which is exactly what Lat & Lo envisioned when they created this company. Ivey states, “I hope we have also inspired some great conversations along the way between strangers and friends alike. Next time you see someone wearing Lat & Lo™ ask them about it.”

If you are ever in need of a gift for that special someone, coordinates are sure to steal the show. Or a treat for yourself to remember that special place.

Use code ‘NEVERBEENSO’ for 10% off your entire purchase at Lat & Lo !

#whereareyouanchored

DRESS: Zara | NECKLACE: Lat & Lo

Never Been So Wanderlust: A Long Weekend in Chicago |First Visit|

Published on October 25, 2016 by neverbeenso4 Comments

Will and I recently earned Southwest Companion Status (and by recently, I mean two weeks ago) and told ourselves if we got it we’d take full advantage of the perk over the next year. So, we hopped on SW and within a few days time, we had a trip booked! Will had been to Chicago several times for work, but never for leisure and I had never been period, so we decided to make our first trip of this adventure |and as official newlyweds| to the Windy City. We traveled A LOT this year; we had our own bachelor/bachelorette parties, friends’ bachelor/bachelorette parties, work travel etc., but not once together, so needless to say we were excited.

Our countdown from booking to take off was five days! While excited, the short time frame had me slightly frazzled. As I mentioned in the first post of this series, I usually write down a few must-sees, but leave the actual travel planning to Will, and even with the time constraint, he did not disappoint.

October was a fantastic time to visit Chicago! It was chilly, but not too bad and even a week earlier, it was mid-70s/80s. A light jacket and scarf were my uniform all weekend. For a first time visit, I’d say three full days was an adequate amount of time to see the various neighborhoods of the city, while still leaving places to explore during a return trip.

The food scene in Chicago is pure bliss. If you remotely consider yourself a foodie, this is your city. I gained at least five pounds on this trip, but it was oh so worth it. Not sure I’ll feel the same when I’m attempting to squeeze into bathing suits for our Jamaica trip in three days, but that’s for another post.

Here is the play by play of how we spent our long weekend in CHI-TOWN, from must-sees to must-eats and what we plan to hit next time. Please comment below with any other recommendations!

Lodging:
The Palmer House
17 E. Monroe St
The Palmer House is located in the loop, two blocks from Millennium Park and conveniently near several CTA lines. The décor is magnificent. Old world glam meets sophistication. The staff was incredible.
Noteworthy: We received a text after check-in to make sure we were happy with our room. We were also able to use the text feature to alert the staff when we were leaving for the day and expecting to be back to ensure that housekeeping was sent while we were out.

THURSDAY
We caught an afternoon flight from BWI, which got us into Chicago at 4PM, giving us enough time to check in and still explore for the afternoon and evening!

Cindy’s Rooftop
12 S. Michigan Avenue
Cindy’s Rooftop is located inside the Chicago Athletic Association Hotel and has the most beautiful view of Millennium Park. I can’t speak for the food because we didn’t eat, but the drinks were fantastic. The rooftop is enclosed, but also has a large outside balcony with fire pits for chilly weather.
Tip: Order the ‘Howl at the Jun’ cocktail – gin, ‘jun’ kombucha, grapefruit and sparkling rose.

Lou Malnati’s
439 N Wells Street
We are big pizza people and Chicago is a big pizza city. There are plenty of opinions about which is the best, but Lou Malnati’s did it for me. There are multiple locations; we went to the S. State Street location, had a bit of a wait, but that’s expected. The spinach bread was also phenomenal.
Tip: Order more than your hunger desires; this cold pizza for breakfast is on another level.

FRIDAY

Mortar and Pestle
3108 N. Broadway
The décor in this place is adorable. Fresh flowers on every wooden table, even one big farmhouse community table in the center. Great for a quick breakfast.
Noteworthy: Top the avocado toast with an egg, you wont be sorry.

Lincoln Park and The Zoo
2001 North Clark Street (and surrounding areas)
I’m very familiar with Lincoln Park After Dark (hey, OPI), but had to see the real thing, at daylight. Lincoln Park lies along the lakefront from Ohio Street Beach in the Streeterville neighborhood, northward to Ardmore Avenue in Edgewater. The section of Lincoln Park adjacent to the Lincoln Park neighborhood contains the Lincoln Park Zoo, take a walk in, it’s FREE.

Glazed and Infused
939 W Armitage Ave
Who doesn’t need a mid-day doughnut?! It was so hard to decide between all of the seasonal flavors, but with my birthday only a few days away, I had to go with this celebratory ring of sugar!

RPM Italian, Chicago
52 W Illinois Street
I had my eye on RPM Italian since we booked our trip, but unfortunately there were no reservations five days out. However, Friday morning I checked Open Table incase and a 4PM dinner slot opened. Earlier than we would have preferred for dinner, but we had evening plans, so we went with it. During our dinner, it proved that we could have shown up and asked for a table at a slightly later time, but it did start to fill up. EVERYTHING WAS AMAZING. I am thrilled that there’s one back home in D.C. because I need to try this entire menu.
Noteworthy: The Brussel Sprout and Avocado Salad – YES; House Made Pasta All The Way – Carbonara FTW!; Find room for the Hazelnut Tartufo. See what I’m saying??

Second City
E.T.C Theater
1608 N Wells Street
This small comedy theater, which has more than its fair share of successful alum, such as Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Bill Murray and Chris Farley (to name a few) has become today’s leading brand in improv-based sketch comedy, and is an absolute must, IMO. This was another recommendation that was sold out days earlier when we booked our trip. But since we were in the Lincoln Park area Friday morning, we stopped by Second City on our walk home just to see it and out of curiosity asked the concierge if there was anything available. To our surprise, he had two tickets for the show, “A Red Line Runs Through It,” by far the funniest thing I’ve seen in A LONG TIME – if you are in Chicago while this is still running, please go see it. I guarantee at least one, if not more, of these actors will be the next big thing on SNL.

SATURDAY

Jam
3057 West Logan Blvd
This was Will’s favorite restaurant of the whole trip. He is not a French toast person and my lord, I think he would have taken six orders of this home if he could.
Tip: Order a short stack of the French toast to split and order the hot chicken and waffle for your meal.

‘Greetings From Chicago’ Mural
2226 N Milwaukee Ave.
I love street art, and Chicago has a ton of it, but this one is definitely my favorite. It’s off the beaten path in a tiny parking lot, but worth it. The mural, which is part of a national project called The Greetings From Tour, was painted by Victor Ving, a former graffiti artist from New York City, and photographed by Lisa Beggs, an experienced studio photographer.

The Gage
24 South Michigan Avenue
Great for an afternoon drink.

Chicago Traffic Jam
If you’re lucky enough to catch these guys performing on the street, you have to stay for a few songs! They are so good!

Tanta
118 West Grand Avenue
Will and I only stopped in for a drink and ended up staying for dinner, we’re suckers for Peruvian food and Tanta does it right. The cebiche trio and pork fried rice are musts, the pisco sours are authentic and the crowd is lively.

Bub City
435 N Clark St
Great bar to watch any sports game, we were lucky enough to watch the Cubs defeat the Dodgers in Game 6 of the NCLS when the Cubs won the pennant for the first time since 1945, clinching their spot for the World Series – needless to say it was packed.

SUNDAY

Cloud Gate aka ‘The Bean’
Millennium Park
201 E Randolph Street
Being that we were only a few blocks from Millennium Park, we decided to wake up earlier than necessary to catch our flight and see if we could get some photos of Cloud Gate sans so many people and I absolutely recommend it. The sculpture is even more breathtaking when you see it standing there on its own.

There you have it folks, our 72 hour trip to Chicago! And for next time……

Chicago Architecture Cruise

Doughnut Vault

Pops For Champagne

Happy Exploring!

All photos are copyrighted and should not be reposted without credit.

Never Been So Wanderlust: Introduction

Published on October 23, 2016 by neverbeenso3 Comments

Traveling has always been an activity that thrills me. However, the planning.. not so much. I screenshot food I want to eat and scenery I must shoot, but that’s pretty much where my ‘travel planning’ ends.

Thankfully I married the planner of all planners when it comes to travel who will put all of my ‘must sees and eats etc.’ into a well thought out itinerary, so that we don’t end up resembling aimlessly wandering, directionally challenged hangry people!

And because sharing is caring, I plan to package this knowledge into a new series – Never Been So Wanderlust – and throw it out into the blogosphere. Whether it’s a day trip, long weekend or a two-week adventure, a game plan can help make the most of any place you’re visiting.

Not every post will be a full-on itinerary. Sometimes I may just post about a restaurant or an experience that can’t be missed. I also plan to share a few tips and tricks I’ve learned along the way that make traveling even easier. #themoreyouknow

You’ve been to X location before?
This world has A LOT to offer, and seeing a place more than once is not prohibited, take away a reason to return and/or please please comment with experiences I haven’t included!

You can plan your own trips?
Sure you can! Because, the Internet. However, like most things in life, sometimes it’s easier to have someone do it for you. You have enough to do before a trip: laundry, packing, sleeping, pet-cuddling etc., let us help!

Why should you listen to our travel opinions?
Well, there are plenty of professional travel sites and even more travel blogs out there, so no pressure, you do you! But we’ve been on plenty of domestic trips and several international vacations and have the hunger to see so many more. I mean we vowed to help each other see the world. We are cost conscious, but understand paying a little more is necessary in certain circumstances and will happily do so for the quality of the experience.

Don’t forget to follow along and share your photos with #neverbeensowanderlust!

Happy Traveling!

11 Baltimore Restaurants Doing Deviled Eggs Right

Published on May 4, 2016May 4, 2016 by neverbeenso4 Comments

For this week’s 180 Wednesday, I’m talking about DEVILED EGGS! I know I’m not the only one who despised these little suckers as a kid (or up until a month ago). Of course deviled eggs have features to dislike (i.e. smell, preparation); however, they’ve never been so on the top of my cravings list.

And because I become instantly obsessed when I stumble upon a new flavor I like (hence the creation of 180 Wednesday), I have been eating up deviled eggs at every restaurant I can get my hands on (all within the last month!). It’s quite surprising how many restaurants actually serve up these little guys, all with their own take on presentation and flavor. I missed photo ops on a few of these, never imagined I would fall in love as hard as I did

And while I’m sure our family’s recipes are on the tops of all our lists, in honor of Mother’s Day this weekend, let’s give Mom and Grandma a break, and have someone else do the work. Here are the restaurants serving up the best deviled eggs in Baltimore!

1 . Cava Mezze | 1302 Fleet Street

GREEN EGGS & HAM deviled eggs | fresh herb vinaigrette | crispy pancetta
First off, their brunch is amazing; bottomless eats and drink. So when I happened upon deviled eggs on the menu a month ago, I gave them a shot. I figured if I don’t like them, no biggie, it’s bottomless. WELL, lets just say, my mouth experienced complete confusion and satisfaction. And since, my love for deviled eggs was born – not to mention they get extra points for Dr. Seuss nostalgia.

2 . Woodberry Kitchen | 2010 Clipper Park Road

Devilled Eggs | Chipped Ham | Fish Pepper
These little guys are high up on my list. I was skeptical of the fish pepper, but it packed such a good flavor!

3 . Bond Street Social | 901 South Bond Street

“Eggs and Bacon” Deviled Eggs | bacon jam | pickled mustard seeds | pimento cheddar filling
Half-priced, daily 4pm-7pm

4 . Dinosaur BBQ | 1401 Fleet Street
Creole Deviled Eggs | Cajun spiced | Chives
Get these in portions of 3, 6 or 12 pieces

5 . Artifact Coffee | 1500 Union Avenue

Deviled Eggs
As you can imagine, these are pretty similar to the ones served at Woodberry Kitchen, but there’s nothing wrong with that!

6 . Ten Ten | 1010 Fleet Street

Deviled Eggs | Cunningham farm eggs | bacon | smoked paprika

7 . Sugarvale | 4 West Madison Street

Deviled Eggs | Duck Ham
This ham is LEGIT.

8 . Southern Provisions | 3000 O’Donnell Street
Deviled Eggs | Mustard Seed | Paprika

9 . The Nickel Taphouse | 1604 Kelley Avenue
Deviled Eggs | bacon jam

10 . Cardinal Tavern | 901 South Clinton Street
Mom’s Deviled Eggs | “classic recipe just like Mom used to make”

Who am I missing?? I’m always up for solid recommendations!

10 Eateries You Must Visit in Charleston, SC

Published on March 4, 2016March 4, 2016 by neverbeensoLeave a comment

As stated in my post about the charm of Charleston, I told you I wanted to bring you a post solely devoted to it’s divine food culture, and what better time to do that than at the start of the Charleston Wine + Food Festival. Last year I volunteered at the festival, participated in several events and had a blast; if 2016 wasn’t the year of our friends’ weddings (10!), our own wedding, and house hunting, we would be there – we’ll see ya there in 2017!

You never know who you’ll take a selfie with. Myself + Hugh Acheson.

You never know who’s autograph you’ll get. Myself + Virginia Willis.

Or who you’ll see perform! The oh so talented Marc Broussard. – Thanks to The Local Palate for choosing my photo in a contest they ran and giving me these awesome tickets!

And that was my experience in a nutshell. But I digress. You’re here for the food recommendations, right? So here they are. 10 of the places I couldn’t get enough of during my temporary stay in Charleston. These are the places I had neverbeenso happy to stumble upon and neverbeenso satisfied with when I left.

Poogan’s Porch – 72 Queen Street
The most adorable, quaint restaurant – it truly is what you expect when you think Southern.
TIP: Get the Mac & Cheese – creamy smoked gouda, country ham, need I say more?

Barsa – 630 King Street
Don’t let the fact that Barsa is a little bit on the outskirts detour you. This is one of the coolest atmospheres I experienced in Charleston and some of the best food!
TIP: WHEN, not If, you order the paella, put it in first since it takes roughly 45 mins – 1hr to prepare and snack on some light tapas and drinks while you wait.

167 Raw – 289 E. Bay Street
This place is SO good. It’s pretty tiny inside, so snag a seat at the bar if you can. The oysters were phenomenal and the tacos are out of this world – totally unexpected.
TIP: The Fish + 10 Hr Carnitas Tacos are the way to go.

Magnolia’s – 185 E. Bay Street
A Charleston staple, for sure. The fried green tomatoes are out of this world and the fried chicken is insane.
TIP: Reservations needed in advance – the earlier the better.

Poe’s Tavern – 2210 Middle Street
This spot is over on Sullivan’s Island, but totally worth the trip. Go on off-hours to ensure you get a seat, as they don’t take reservations. I mean, this burger, really.
TIP: A burger topped with a fried egg AND fried onions.

Fish – 442 King Street
French and Asian cuisines reimagined is how Fish describes its style and I can’t argue it.
TIP: The dessert dim sum allows you to get tiny bites of 4 different desserts to experience all the heaven they have on one plate.

Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit – 476 1/2 King Street
In my two month stay, I visited Callie’s at least 8 times. I’ll be the first to admit, I was an addict and would give my left arm if they would open up shop in Baltimore.
TIP: Some friday nights they open late night and serve fried chicken biscuits – HELLO!

Amen Street Fish and Raw Bar – 205 E. Bay Street
You guessed it, this place is a raw bar, and the quality is off the charts. The oyster shell chandeliers are so Charleston.
TIP: You need the Crispy Calamari Steak Slices in your life – crispy strips of calamari topped with corn, onion and bacon

Burwell’s Stonefire Grill – 14 N. Market Street
I spent a lot of time at this bar and when I finally had the food I was blown away.
TIP: Get the “on the rocks” appetizer and cook your own steak to perfection on the table side searing stone.

Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams – 501-A King Street
So I know Jeni’s has multiple locations, but it was my first experience and I couldn’t get enough.
TIP: Two scoops are always better than one.

You’re probably scrolling through wondering where the big hitters are, like FIG and HUSK, on my list. If you’ve read anything about Charleston or watched Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown: Charleston episode, you’d know these two spots are must-gos; HOWEVER, what they don’t tell you is you need reservations months in advance. I arrived in Charleston in February and couldn’t get a Friday or Saturday night reservation (at a normal dining time) before I left in April; neverbeenso crushed. So if you are even toying with the idea of heading to Charleston, make that reservation now. I’m having serious FOMO so let me know if you’ve been so I can live vicariously! What are some of your favorite spots in Charleston?!

Southern Charm: Charleston, SC

Published on February 19, 2016February 19, 2016 by neverbeenso1 Comment

Exactly one year ago, I arrived for my two-month stint in Charleston, SC. I left just in time to say goodbye to the snow that was hitting Maryland. If you’ve never been to Charleston, you need to book a flight, rent a car, charter a boat |whatever you have to do| and just go. If you have been to Charleston, you’re probably missing it like crazy and should go ahead and do the same.

Because I was going to be away for two months and had no idea what I would need to make it feel like home, I went ahead and decided to make the 9 hour drive instead of fly. Podcasts really saved me on this one, thanks Serial.

I had never really been anywhere on my own, so naturally I was a bit nervous. However, the second I set foot in Charleston, I knew what the hype was all about. Being from the north, I was a little taken aback at how friendly people were. It took some time for me to realize they weren’t trying to scam me or do me any harm, but that they were just genuinely interested in my story and showing me the charm the city had to offer. I mean really, this place is beautiful. If you’re ever feeling down, staring at Rainbow Row will instantly lift your spirits.

Please visit the Angel Oak, one of the oldest live oak trees in the world. Pictures don’t really do it justice, standing amongst the vast, intertwining limbs will really make you appreciate its beauty. I’ve neverbeenso amazed.

If you’ve heard anything about Charleston, you know it’s food game is one of the strongest. Being a foodie, I couldn’t wait to dive in. Stay tuned for my favorite eateries – there are so many, they need their own post! But I’ll leave you drooling with this gorgeous paella dish from Barsa.

Product Review: COR Waterproof Backpack

Published on February 15, 2016February 15, 2016 by neverbeensoLeave a comment

In the last few years, I have become increasingly more interested in outdoor activities; however, I still struggle with packing. Not only does my 20-something body temperature fluctuate like a menopausal woman (layers are key), my mood is heavily affected by the weather. So, whether it be for a day hike or a multi-day trek, I tend to be overly prepared for any element that could occur. And since I can’t carry my entire closet with me on adventures, I have to be efficient where I can.

When we went to the Amazon Rainforest, I brought along my trusty Osprey day pack. And while it kept me cool and had a cover for the pack, it didn’t stand up to the downpours we encountered, leaving some of my belongings damp. And after a full two hours of torrential rain, when the sun pokes it’s head between the clouds, a nice warm shirt is necessary.

Recently, I stumbled upon the COR Waterproof Dry Back Backpack from COR Board Racks. The company looks like it is tailored more for water sports, but would also be a pack to weather all elements. This 40L pack offers tons of space for layers and shoes. And since it’s 100% waterproof, I don’t have to make the decision to leave the electronics at home or run the risk of ruining them. It also has a water-resistant front pocket, so you don’t have to rifle through your pack when you want to snap a quick pic.

Easily, this pack fit:

– Hiking Boots
– Sandals
– Rain Coat
– Long Sleeve
– Tank Top
– Shorts
– Pants
– Socks
– iPad
– Go-Pro
– Selfie-Stick

With room to spare.

So, if you know the weather may turn on you and you like to be as comfortable as can be, so that you can focus on enjoying the outdoors vs. how cold, how hot, how wet, how dry you are, then this pack is for you! Neverbeenso able to relax about what I can’t control!

Baltimore Food and Drink: Snowmageddon 2016

Published on January 22, 2016January 23, 2016 by neverbeenso27 Comments

One really huge benefit of living in the city of Baltimore is that most everything is walking distance. And with that, when the rest of the DC/Baltimore area frets and ransacks every grocery store in a 10 mile radius, us city-dwellers still have options; neverbeenso thankful. |And really, who wants milk and bread, when you can have tequila and tacos?|

Thanks to these fine Baltimore City establishments below, who have already committed to staying open all weekend, we won’t go hungry or thirsty during Snowmageddon 2016. How many bars and/or restaurants across Baltimore can you make it to? Challenge accepted, Jonas.

And don’t forget, it’s also Baltimore City Restaurant Week!

So get your snow boots on and boycott the grocery store madness!

Follow along on Instagram @neverbeenso to see some of our favorites! Use #bmoreopen on social media to show us your Snow Day Specials!

CANTON

Jokers n Thieves – 3000 O’Donnell St.

Verde – 641 S. Montford Ave.

The Boathouse – 2809 Boston St.

QuarterHouse Tavern – 801 S. Decker St.
HAPPY HOUR draft prices on select beers as long as it is snowing – They also sell beer & wine TO GO!

Saigon Today – 700 S. Potomac St.
$5 PHO, $2 off apps, $4 draughts, $3 hot toddys $5 vietnamese spiked coffee and $4 bacon bloodys!

Mahaffey’s Pub – 2706 Dillon St.
3 beers for $6 every day until 7!

Tavern on the Square – 2903 O’Donnell St.
FRIDAY HAPPY HOUR 1-7pm!!! 1/2 off drinks! $5 apps!! $8 Pizzas!! $10 Pasta dinner!!

Looney’s – 2900 O’Donnell St.

Baltimore Taphouse – 600 S. Potomac St.

Cardinal Tavern – 901 S. Clinton St.
Friday Happy Hour Food & Drinks tip 7pm
Saturday and Sunday Brunch 9:30am – 3pm

Snake Hill – 418 S. Clinton St.
Bonus: Offering drone customer pick-up within a six block radius.

Alma Cocina Latina – 2400 Boston St. Ste 108
Dinner starts at 5pm

Plug Ugly’s – 2908 O’Donnell St.
Friday: FREE Smores on 2nd floor heated deck!

Smaltimore – 2522 Fait St.
Saturday – Opening at 7:30am for Liverpool match
$10 bottomless until noon

El Bufalo – 2921 O’Donnell St.

Myth and Moonshine – 2300 Boston St.

Saute – 2844 Hudson St.
Saturday and Sunday – BRUNCH 10am-3pm and happy hour prices are in effect ALL WEEKEND after brunch

FED HILL

Blue Agave – 1032 Light St.

Das Bier Haus – 1542 Light St.

The Local Fry – 21 E. Cross St.
BYOB

Liv2Eat – 1444 Light St.

Banditos – 1118 S. Charles St.
**for every 6 inches of snow, everyone gets a SNOWBOMB**
$16 beer buckets
$5 32 oz Budlight/shocktop
$5 espolon
**bottomless mimosas till 2 w/ brunch**

Mad River – 1110 S. Charles St.
Happy Hour Specials All Day
Wear Your Pajamas for 10% Off

Magerk’s Pub – 1061 S. Charles St.
–Friday —
3-8pm: $1.75 Bud Light, Miller Lite & Yuengling drafts
$3 all other drafts
$4 wine, firefly & pizza bread
11pm-close: BOGO Rails, Fireball, Jameson, Jack Daniels & Jim Beam
–Saturday–
11am-6pm: $3 drafts & $3.50 mimosas
6-close: $3.50 16oz Bohs, $4 Terremoto, $5 Deep Eddy, $6 Ice 101 and Deep Eddy Bombs

Don’t Know Tavern – 1455 Light St.
Friday – ever favorite ALL YOU CAN DRINK Miller, Coors & wine, just $10 from 7-10 & live music

Sobo Cafe and Sobo Market – 6-8 W. Cross St.

Stalking Horse – 26 E. Cross St.
$12 buckets of Bud light and “warm-up with $.59 wings, $4 Fireballs and $4 Jamesons” all weekend

FELLS POINT

The Point – 1738 Thames St
Baltimore’s best brunch from 10am-4pm with $13 bottomless Mimosas, Bloodies, Screwdrivers and Sangria till 2pm
$6 Irish Coffees and Adult Hot Chocolate
$4 Old Man Winter and Vanilla Porter drafts
& Live Music

Slainte Irish Pub – 1700 Thames St.
According to the Director of Operations, “…will remain open all weekend during the Blizzard. We are planning on operating at regular business hours (Sláinte 7am – 2am)”

Kooper’s Tavern – 1702 Thames St.
According to the Director of Operations, “…will remain open all weekend during the Blizzard. We are planning on operating at regular business hours (Kooper’s 10am – 2am)”

Max’s Taphouse – 737 S. Broadway
Friday – Big A$$ Drafts (32oz) from 5-8pm; Saturday – normal business hours

Papi’s Tacos – 1703 Aliceanna
10am-3pm $12 AYCD mix and match bloody’s, bellinis, dos Equis drafts, screwdrivers, and tequila sunrises
10am-5pm $12 Coronita buckets (6) and $15 day of the dead craft beer buckets
All Weekend – select $3 beers and $4 shots

Penny Black – 1800 Thames St.

Alexander’s Tavern – 710 S. Broadway

HAMPDEN

Birroteca – 1520 Clipper Rd.
Grab a pizza and a growler glass, get 50% off the fill, bring a growler get 25% off the fill!

HARBOR EAST

Roy’s – 1720 Aliceanna
Aloha Hour Specials – $7 select appetizers, wine & cocktails in the bar 4pm-7pm

Comfort Zone Challenge: Amazon Rainforest

Published on October 13, 2015December 8, 2015 by neverbeenso5 Comments

When we were planning our last big trip, we instantly knew it’d be in South America, but we weren’t exactly sure what country we’d visit. We did A LOT of research and finally decided we’d visit Peru. It seemed to have the most bang for our buck (and time) when it came to fitting in as much as humanly possible (we tend to do that).

One day, Will prompted me with the option of seeing the Amazon Rainforest. Immediately, I was intrigued, but also a bit frightened. “You want me to stay in a jungle?” I thought. “In a hut, with 100% humidity, surrounded by trees and wildlife with no connection to the outside world?” Some people would hear this and instantly think it a dream, being disconnected from the world, but me, I was a little taken aback and downright worried. Going to the jungle meant I had to leave my comfort zone, completely.

Long story short. We did it.

We ended up booking a trip that would allow us to visit the Amazon Rainforest, as well as Cusco, Macchu Picchu, and Lima [I’ll save those for another post]. We’ve always planned our trips ourselves, but this time we worked with Southern Explorations and they were awesome! Everything was flawless and they were a HUGE help with decision making.

We arrived to Puerto Maldonado and were instantly greeted by heat, humidity and, thankfully, our guide with a bus full of iced water bottles. I had neverbeenso thirsty. We said good-bye to our luggage, all except what we could fit in a small pack on our backs. We then hopped aboard a motorized canoe and made our way 30 minutes down the Madre De Dios River to our accommodations. We stayed at the Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica Lodge.

They weren’t kidding when they said we’d be in the middle of the jungle. Lush trees canopied over us as we walked along the tree-stump lined path, while wildlife went on about its business around us. We were taken to our cabins, each couple had their own, and it was legitimately a hut with screened in doors and windows, a bed with a draped mosquito net, a shower and toilet. Immediately, I thought “what did I get myself into…” And then I told myself to just let go…and let go I did.

The lodge blew me away. Although they were smack dab in the middle of a jungle, they provided 5 star service and food. Three meals a day, each morning a buffet of local delights, while lunch and dinner were plated meals selected from the various menu options. The Main Hall also had a fully stocked bar, where the Pisco Sours were on point. They offered several varieties. However, I fell in love with the Chilcano, the Peruvian version of a Moscow Mule, a mix of pisco, lime juice and ginger ale.

There was no internet connection at the lodge, and for someone who is completely connected, it took some getting used to. But by the end, I didn’t even want to see my phone again. I spent quality time in the here and now and truly connected with those around us. We met so many great people, staff and guests alike. It started to feel like a family. We did most of the excursions with the same couple and always saw familiar faces in the main hall at meal time.

The cabins grew on me. Laying in the hammocks, looking out over the river, hearing nothing but the wildlife around me, it was peaceful. It turned out to be such a spiritual experience. Granted, nights were still a little rough being that it was 80 degrees, and we were sleeping with nets over us to protect from mosquitos. But soon morning came and we were greeted with some of the most amazing sunrises I had ever seen; it was worth it.

The Excursions

The lodge offered 12-15 excursions for people to pick from based on activity level. There were serveral guides at the lodge who stayed with the same guests for most of the trip. Alberto and Michael were our guides for all of the excursions. We did SO much in the 3 full days we spent in the jungle. There was absolutely no shortage of things to do. We were exhausted by the end of every night.

Lake Sandoval – We hiked 2 miles each way, mud up to our knees in 100 degree weather and we had to cover up or else the mosquitos would tear us to shreds. Sounds awful right? Well partly it was, but reaching Lake Sandoval was such a reward. We canoed out to a spot on the lake and saw a family of otters playing and catching fish, saw at least 100 howler monkeys playing on the vines in the jungle, and colorful macaws flying overhead. It was like nothing I’ve ever seen. Sure, you see wildlife in the zoo, but this wasn’t the zoo, this was wildlife in its own habitat.

Canopy Tour – We climbed a 95 foot tower and trekked all along the treetops via suspension bridges, connecting 8 platforms. The views from above were outstanding and we learned a lot from Alberto along the way.

Piranha Fishing – By far my favorite excursion. This one takes a full day, but well worth it. We were taken out by boat approximately 2 hours from the lodge. Here, we picked up our stick fishing rods and immediately started fishing for piranha. We caught a few right away! The guide took us to different spots on the lake to try our luck. Every hour, our guide would take us over to a spot in the jungle to drop off the piranha we had caught. After several hours of fishing, he took us to that same spot where a chef had prepared a full spread of food and wine, including the piranha we caught! What a cool experience! On the way home from this trip, we stopped by a village and dropped off all the leftover food and drink we had to locals who seemed to expect this. I had a lot of respect for the lodge to not waste these leftovers and share them with the community.

Rainforest By Night – Let me start out by saying this was NOT my favorite excursion. It was pitch black, we were following a guide into the depths of the jungle with only flashlights while he pointed out tarantulas, other big spiders, scorpions, the list goes on. While I didn’t necessarily enjoy the sights of this one, there was still something surreal about being in a jungle at night surrounded by all the wildlife that wakes up after dark.

After surviving the Amazon Rainforest, I felt so proud! I stepped out of my comfort zone and was handsomely rewarded. It was truly one of the best experiences I’ve had to date. I plan to write another post of what I packed on my trip, what worked and what didn’t, stay tuned. In the meantime, here are a few other beauties.

We went during the beginning of dry season, so we had great weather all 3 days. However, the day we were leaving, it poured. But, you have to admit, rain truly is beautiful in the Rainforest.

Product Review: Tubular Original Buff Headwear

Published on September 24, 2015 by neverbeenso1 Comment

Before our trip to Peru this year, we wandered around REI for awhile seeing what shiny new things we could purchase. As I was browsing, I came across something that looked like a cross between a scarf and a headband; having no idea what it was, I picked it up and started reading about the Tubular Original Buff [futher referred to as the Buff] headwear. It went on to explain how it’s wind resistant, controls odor, breathable, quick-drying, and can be worn 12 different ways.

Being that we were about to embark on a trip that involved the humid Amazon Rainforest, hiking to the peaks of mountains and exploring the cities in between, this seemed like a product that could handle it all and still allow me to be somewhat fashionable. So I picked out the ‘Motion’ color, paid the measly $20 and hoped for the best (but also didn’t expect much).

This product is like an angel from heaven; I’ve neverbeenso happy to have bought this last minute item. We packed as light as we could and the Buff took up 0% space. It is super tiny; I just kept it in my purse while flying or in the top compartment of my pack while exploring. I’ll get into the major details of our trip in a later post, but I wore the Buff everywhere.

The Amazon Rainforest is hot and humid and pretty gross, BUT beautiful. We did hikes in 100 degree weather in bright sunlight; the Buff kept my head cool and wicked away sweat pretty quickly.

Let’s just say spending four days in the Amazon Rainforest, sleeping and showering in huts does not leave you smelling your greatest. Once we returned to civilization in Cusco, we had to do a load of laundry; as we were deciding which items would be the ones we washed (since laundry is uber expensive), I picked up the Buff and to my surprise, it smelled fine! Which meant I didn’t have to go without it for the day and could wear it as we hiked to the peak of Huayna Picchu.

Getting to the peak of Huayna Picchu was NOT a walk in the park. It was hard. But that’s for another post. My point here is that it’s almost 9,000 feet above sea level so it was COLD and WINDY! But I wore the Buff and I was warm! Instead of focusing on the temperature, I was able to focus on not falling off the side of a mountain!

We also did some light leisure activity such as feeding llamas and alpacas!! It was a little chilly but I wanted to keep my hair down, so I treated the Buff as an infinity scarf of sorts. It wasn’t too heavy and kept my neck nice and warm!

There are so many other ways to wear the Buff – and it comes in a ton of different colors, I’ll be picking up one or two more so I can wear them interchangeably! Definitely a travel must-have!

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