3 Trips I've Taken So Far This Year (and What's Next)

 
OK, wow, 2023 is already more than half over? Time flies, et cetera.

I've done some traveling lately, which has been a real delight after a whole three years of not going much of anywhere. I haven't done a good job of writing about any of them (which seems to be my new jam, I guess), but I thought I'd take a moment to tell you a little bit about the three "big" trips I've taken so far. They were all great and all worth talking about.
  

  

Berkeley, CA

I happened to visit the Bay Area during that one point in the year when they got, like, historic levels of rain. I met up with four friends, and we'd planned to spend a day in Napa, but the weather was just too darn bad. Instead, we spent most of our time indoors, in our pajamas, just hanging out and catching up.

We wandered the city during breaks from the rain, visiting some tasty spots: tacos and cocktails at Comal, decadent mac and cheese at Homeroom, and a vibrant brunch (like my fresh, filling chilaquiles, pictured above) from Sam's Log Cabin. The best part, though, was just being with friends who I so rarely get to see. 
 

 

New Orleans, LA
My friend Emily's bachelorette party was originally supposed to be in March 2020, and it was one of the first things to be canceled when COVID descended. Even though she's now married with a toddler, she deserved to celebrate her party weekend!

We stayed in The Frenchmen Hotel (yes, right on Frenchmen Street), and we basically spent a long weekend eating our way through the city. We scarfed po'boys from Verti Marte and drank tiki drinks at Latitude 29 and inhaled beignets from Cafe Du Monde while sitting on stairs in Jackson Square. Yes, I also got a traumatic psychic reading, but overall, it was an extremely fun weekend in an extremely fun (if sweaty) city. 
 

 
Plattsburgh, NY
When Mike and I were invited to his friend/former coworker's wedding in upstate New York, we decided we'd make a road trip of it. On the way there, we stopped in Syracuse, where we got dinner at the original Dinosaur Bar-B-Que and had fancy drinks at Al's; on the way home, we got wings in (where else?) Buffalo.
 
In between was the meat of the trip in Plattsburgh, a little city just a ferry ride away from Burlington, VT. We got outdoor drinks at Valcour Brewing Co., located in some amazing old stone barracks, and had the best veggie burger of my life at Twisted Carrot, among other quirky stops. It was great to celebrate with our friends Ashley and Cody, and it was a perfect excuse for a little weekend getaway together.

  

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Next up: In August, we're going to Portland for my exchange student sister's wedding! My mom and I are going early to spend some time exploring the city, and Mike will meet us later in the week for the event itself. We're excited to be working with Emily of Avani Travel Co., a travel consultant here in Cleveland who creates custom itineraries and who has been a lifesaver so far.

Until then, though, I'm enjoying spending some time in Cleveland with friends, enjoying our house and even learning to do some gardening. It's been a good summer so far, and I have high hopes for the rest of it.
  
What have you been up to? Any good travel lately... or coming up?