2017 Travels and Adventures: A Year in Review - Part 2

WHEW!   We've made three days into the new year.    I hope your goals and resolutions are still on track.   I've made it to the gym twice, so I'm on track for my regular goal of fifteen days of fitness a month.    Most of the rest of the month will be spent walking around Southeast Asia, so whatever gym time I'm seeking, and it's not much, needs to get knocked out in the next week.

Before we get into double digits of 2018, here are some highlights of the second half of 2017.  

July 2017

Summer was in full force.   It was time cupcakes, fireworks and America.   And also the Sun & Sea Festival in Imperial Beach.  One last minute spontaneous two day visit to San Francisco amidst the craziness that is Comic-Con week at work.   

Sand Castle Fun! 

This is the scene of an incident in my younger years 

that involved a shot of Patron. 

Hi SF - good to see you!

August 2017

In 2017, our family celebrated our first ever Bratsgiving.   It needs to be an annual thing.   Getting together in northern Wisconsin in the summer and spending time together.    

The Brats in Question

September 2017

My sister and I have actually created a tradition.   2017 made five years in a row going to the Jazz Aspen Snowmass Experience over Labor Day.   In San Diego news, it was time for the 7 Bridges Hike and hanging out on the pier in Oceanside.  

Larimer Square - Denver

Twin Lakes - Colorado

Bridges of San Diego 

Why Hello There...

  

October 2017

Disclosure:  I had never been to Phoenix/Scottsdale before other than passing through the airport.  I had a great weekend visit with friends and can't wait to go back!   October is also Bike MS Bay to Bay time where we hop on our bikes and ride 100 miles to help find a cure for MS.  

Desert Botanical Garden

(cactus everywhere!!!)

Go team go!

November 2017

The month started off with an amazing sunset, followed shortly afterwards with a trip to Texas.   This was my second time trying to mess with Texas this year and I consider it a success.    My family came to visit for Thanksgiving both in California and a holiday extension into Cabo.   

November 1 is looking good

Howdy to you too!

Just a longhorn going on a walk

Nothing to see here

Fiesta de Reyes

Thanksgiving Eve - Encinitas

Traditional Thanksgiving poolside poke bowl

Cabo views

December 2017

So much eating and socializing.    The best month of the year for that.    Holiday shenanigans included the OB Holiday parade, the San Diego Santa Run, Global Winter Wonderland, and the Holiday Bowl Parade.   I got my white Christmas Denver style.  

Shave ice!  The best I've found on the mainland so far.

Global Winter Wonderland

Sunny Santas on the run

White Christmas views

Hudson Gardens Christmas

Parade Balloons

Bye 2017!   Loved you a lot.  

Can't wait to see what 2018 has in store.   Travels and Adventures will continue.   I don't even need to make that a resolution.  

Wisconsin Week: Frozen Custard

This week I'm celebrating the state of Wisconsin, just because I can.   
There is ice cream and there is frozen custard.    Both are delicious.
When I'm Wisconsin-bound, I like to get my custard on!

Wisconsin Week:  Frozen Custard

Wisconsin can't take the credit for creating frozen custard, but I see it there more often in WI than anywhere else.     According to Wikipedia, a shop in Coney Island was the first commercial producer back in 1919.   It made its way to the Midwest for the 1933 Chicago World's Fair.  

As you may know, it's not very far from Chicago to the Wisconsin border.
And it's not that far from the border to Milwaukee.    Milwaukee totally got on board the frozen custard express.

Milwaukee has highest number of frozen custard shops per capita.  

When I fly into Milwaukee, I'm committed to supporting these custard shops.    My sister lived in Milwaukee for years and she's partial to Kopp's.  So here I am, dragging from a red-eye flight from Hawaii to Wisconsin ready to take on the world now that I have custard in hand.  

#sorrynotsorry

Fun facts about frozen custard:

• Per the FDA it must contain 10% milkfat,  why do you think it tastes so rich and amazing?  
• 1.4% egg yolk solids....if it's less than that, it's merely ice cream
• Butterfat and egg yolk give frozen custard it's creamy and dense texture
• Most custard shops serve vanilla, chocolate and a flavor of the day

Trivia from Wikipedia

 If you can't make it to Wisconsin....other frozen custard spots I recommend:

• Denver:   Good Times Burgers & Frozen Custard  - bonus, they offer Paw Benders for your furry friends
• Indianapolis:  Ritter's Frozen Custard & Burgers
• Champaign, IL:   Jarling's Custard Cup (totally brings back memories of college)
• Various locations:  Culver's (based in Wisconsin, but has locations in other states)

Have you tried frozen custard?   Do you have a go-to spot?  

Wisconsin Week: Cheese

This week I'm celebrating the state of Wisconsin, just because I can.   
The love of cheese is real.   

Wisconsin Week:  Cheese  

Wisconsin is known for it's dairy.   Cheese in particular.    For me, no visit to Wisconsin is complete without multiple servings of cheese curds.  

For many people, cheese curds may be just a thing of whispered legend.
Are they fried bar food?   
Are they served at fairs and festivals?   
Are they fresh and squeaky?  

Cheese curds are all of those things.    Cheese curds are a part of the cheese making process.   Before cheeses like cheddar are formed into blocks or wheels and aged, they start out as curds.   And yes, fresh curds squeak when you eat them.


Enhance your cheese curd knowledge at Eat Curds.   The Wisconsin milk marketing board wants YOU to know and understand the wonder of the cheese curd.  

Fun Wisconsin cheese and dairy facts to impress your friends:

• Wisconsin has 127 cheese plants, more than any other state 
• It takes 10 lbs of milk to make 1 lb of cheese
• On average, each American eats 34 lbs of cheese each year (that's a LOT of cheese)
• More than 96% of Wisconsin's dairy farms are family owned
• Wisconsin was named America's Dairyland in 1930
• Wisconsin is nation's largest producer of Cheddar cheese
• The first ice cream sundae was served in Two Rivers, Wisconsin (and yes, I've been there to celebrate that fact in person)

Trivia from America's Dairyland

Wisconsin makes it very easy to get your cheese fix.   Just look for a sign.  A big sign that says CHEESE.  

If you're in southern Wisconsin near Kenosha, perhaps a visit to the Mars Cheese Castle is in order?  

And when you're up near Door County, in Algoma or Sturgeon Bay?   A visit to Renard's is a must!

Or a mouse.

Let's celebrate with some cheese!

Wisconsin Cheese Curds for the win!

Do you love cheese too?

Wisconsin Week: Green Bay Sunsets

This week I'm celebrating the state of Wisconsin, just because I can.   
The love of water, among other things, runs deep in me.   

Wisconsin Week:  Green Bay Sunsets

I love sunsets and will hop up out of my chair, walk down to the water or step out of a restaurant to go and enjoy the moment.   Yes, I am that person.  In fact, I'll be that person again in just a few days.

Wisconsin is blessed with an abundance of water, so you can have your sunset shots at your choice of rivers, lakes and streams.   For me in the past 10 years, my favorite shots have been in Door County of the sun setting over Green Bay.

Fun Wisconsin water facts to impress your friends:

• The Great Lakes contain a fifth of all the liquid surface fresh water on earth
• Wisconsin has more than 15,000 lakes 
• Almost 3% of Wisconsin's total area is lakes
• Wetlands and abundant high-quality water make Wisconsin the nation’s top producer of cranberries and 10th-largest producer of trout
• Wisconsin has more than 500,000 registered motorboats—about one for every 10 residents

Trivia from Wisconsin's Water Library

Let's celebrate with some beautiful Green Bay sunsets!

 

Do you have a favorite sunset spot?

My Travel Plans for 2016

Airplanes and I have spent a lot of time together over the past month.    The first half of December was all Myanmar and Thailand.    I came home, put in a solid 8 days of work, and then hopped on another flight to Denver for Christmas.   I came home, after a flight delay that resulted in a non-stop flight instead of a 2-stop connection {win!}, put in another solid 2 days of work, then went to Oahu to celebrate the start of this new year.

Last year I didn't have a new year's resolution, per se, rather a slogan that I put up in my kitchen.
I couldn't miss it.

Do It When I See It.  

Often I will think of something:  running a 5k, going to a festival, calling a friend, buying concert tickets - then I will get sidetracked with the general business of life, and I don't always get it done.   With my Do It When I See It mentality, I got more fun out of my year.   Hello Hong Kong?   That started with an idle thought in December of 2014 as well as a few messages to friends who might be interested and then in March 2015 it materialized into a real trip.

For 2016, I'm thinking about a word for the year.    One article I read listed three questions to consider:

1.  What do I need?
2.  What's in my way?
3.  What needs to go?

I'm working my way through those questions honestly and in depth.   I've made my way to a short list of words that may define my focus this year.  

No matter what word I select, it will tie into travel because that is one of my priorities every year.

2016 Confirmed Travel Plans

Every time I read a disturbing article about how American's don't use all their vacation time, I struggle.   That's never been my problem.    In fact, I could always use more.   Can I have yours?

I started January 1st off by going to Oahu.  This was made easier by being a short 35 minute flight from Maui from which we could see whales from the plane.  Whales!

Ho'omaluhia Botanical Garden, Oahu

In May, I'll be going to Playa del Carmen, Mexico, with some friends for birthday shenanigans.   The birthday is not mine.   The shenanigans?  Well, they probably will be.

In September, I'm planning to visit a friend who is living in Teglas, Hungary and then follow it up by joining my mom on a river cruise from Budapest to Bucharest.   I've never been on a European river cruise.  Bring on the wine, culture and scenery.

Sometime this spring, I will visit Big Island.    The volcano is there and I must see.   Also, macadamia nuts and coffee.

America's Dairyland never disappoints and a trip to visit family in Wisconsin is on deck.   Usually it's summer, but maybe this year, I'll branch out to a different season.

Colorado will play host to our 4th annual sister's weekend to the Jazz Aspen Snowmass Music Experience.    In fact the Do It When I See It mantra stems from the fact that each December the tickets go on sale as Blind Faith passes.   You don't know who is performing.   And each year, even though we know we're going, we miss this reduced price ticket window.   Not this year!  We already have our tickets.

2016 Wish List Travel Plans

With all the time in the world on my 7 hour flight last week, I pulled the world map out of the airline magazine.    On the US map, I started circling all the places I'd been.    And noticed some holes on the map.

My phone GPS tried to send me a message to visit New Jersey...and my college roommate confirmed the message.   When I landed in Maui, instead of showing Kahului weather, it showed Newark.    I've technically been in NJ since traveled by bus from Newark to New York City - my criteria is that I've left the airport.   However, the rest of the state is a mystery to me.  

Sadly, I haven't given the Southeast much time and attention either.   Looking at the map, I want to explore Savannah and Charleston.  I've also got friends in North Carolina who could use a good visiting.

My international wishlist is never-ending and with two international trips on the books for this year, I think I'm good.   If a bonus international trip pops up, I'll be sure to share.

No doubt a few more locations will hit my wish list this year.   If I don't get there in 2016, maybe they can roll to the 2017 confirmed trip list!

Where are you going in 2016?    What locations are on your wish list? 

Where I Went on My Summer Vacation: Door County, Wisconsin

This pint glass, full of Summer Shandy, has a fine map showing off Door County

Aloha Friends!

It's so nice to have the holiday weekend to recover from my vacation.   I got back a week ago, jumped right back into work for 4 days.    I knew I could handle that, jet lag and all, because the weekend was coming soon and had a bonus third day.    Now, of course, I'll have to work full weeks all the way until September.   Two whole months.   Crazy.

Living in a major tourism destination like Hawaii, it's always interesting to hear where people are going when they leave the islands for vacation.     For me, it was up north to Wisconsin to relax with my family.     A beautiful 10 days of sunny weather, cheese, frozen custard, summer shandy, family and zero alarm clocks.   

Fun Things We Did

In a highly unscientific self-survey, I realize that I have seen Kenny Chesney in concert every other years since 2003 in Indiana,  Colorado, Wyoming and Wisconsin.    Kenny was at Lambeau Field again this summer and this seemed like the perfect way to start vacation.     It was 7 hours of music from Old Dominion, Cole Swindell, Brantley Gilbert, Jason Aldean, and Kenny Chesney.   

So.  Much.  Fun.   

If you're fan, definitely go out and catch a show this summer. 

Any excuse to pet goats and cows or to climb on a tractor is worth a stop.  Plus, more ice cream.  

This time at Schopf's Hilltop Dairy.  

In Sturgeon Bay there is an exhibit of...surprise, sturgeons!  At the end of the summer they will be auctioned off.  

Wine Sturgeon, a kindred spirit

While perusing the Door County visitor brochure, we discovered the Trolley Ghost Tour.    
Where you can consume adult beverages.     And there might have been a sing-a-long.  
Yes.

We look ready to find ghosts, don't we?

Still looking...

Family fun continued by riding the fireboat through Sturgeon Bay and out to Lake Michigan.

Fireboat and cocktails - good times!

We also visited the roof goats in Sister Bay.   I had no idea that we had narrowly missed the goat parade.   I like whale parades, so I know I would like a goat parade.   In fact, it is a BYOG parade.   Got a goat?  You can walk it in the parade.    

Hello roof goat

Do  you want to see the goats right now?   Check out the goat cam!  

Delicious Things Consumed

It's called America's Dairyland for a reason.  First stop after leaving the airport in Milwaukee was Kopp's.   I've got to say my sister and I have quite a collection of ice cream cone photos at this point in our life.   

We might have gone out for custard again on our way back down towards Milwaukee.   This time at Culver's.  

There was also our annual pilgrimage to Renard's Cheese.   Yes, cheese came home in my suitcase. No shame here.

Other places we ate, sampled or purchased included:  Door County Coffee,  Wood Orchard, Sonny's Pizza,  Holey Cow Ice Cream,  Door County Creamery,  Buchanan's (Wednesday Rib Night) and The Cabin (Fish Fry).    

Last but not least

Blowing bubbles with my niece before going out on the pontoon boat.   Gotta say it's been a while.

Since I didn't have a fishing license, I caught some rays instead.    With an adult beverage.  

Where are you going on your summer vacation?