J Travels

J Travels: Memphis, Keeping Old Promises

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The mural across the street from the Civil Rights Museum. Photo by J. Sylvester.

This year, I really only had one official resolution – to travel outside of the D.C.-area every month. I knew it wouldn’t be easy given how fast a month can go, and how expensive traveling can be. The #majorkey would be planning out, at least, the first 4-5 months of my travels at the beginning of the year. I have some exciting trips ahead; I will make sure to document all of my new experiences here.

It was fitting that I traveled to Memphis first because it was the one trip I’d promised a friend I would make in 2016 that never happened.  I didn’t know what to expect as I’ve never ventured to Middle (to me), Southern America, but Memphis definitely had some surprises in store.

Best Time to Visit

Summer. I visited Memphis is late January, and it was as if everyone was hibernating for the winter. I saw very few people on the streets, the tourist attractions were largely vacant and there was a quiet eeriness that hung over the city.

Although I was taken off guard, I could easily imagine how different it is in the summer. Beale street crowded with young people, outdoor concerts, joggers running along the Mississippi River.

The former Lorraine Hotel, now the Civil Rights Museum, at dusk. Photo by J. Sylvester.

Sightseeing

  • The first tourist attraction people mention when you talk about Memphis is Graceland. Graceland, Graceland, Graceland. So where did I got 10 minutes after landing? Graceland. But, from the hefty price (start at around $50), to the dated Graceland complex, I was underwhelmed. My suggestion would be to skip it if not for the major renovation they were undergoing while I was there. Hopefully the exhibits I was unable to visit will provide for a much better experience.
  • Now if you want to get your money’s worth, go to the National Civil Right Museum. I can’t say enough good things about it, I only regret that I didn’t allocate 4-5 hours to exploring all that the museum has to offer. You will want to watch every video, listen to every story, read every placard. The one good thing about going during the off-season – I basically had the museum to myself.
  • The duck walk at the Peabody is a whole ‘lotta hoopla for a 5-minute affair, but it was a fun experience. If you go to the show (there are two a day), make sure to check out the rooftop of the hotel which has an amazing view of the city.
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The gorgeous view from the Peabody Hotel. Photo by J. Sylvester.

Nightlife

  • Beale Street. When the weather is nice, I’m sure Beale Street is a blast.

Eats

  • Central BBQ. My first meal didn’t disappoint. There’s a few locations depending on where you’re staying in the city. Rendezvous is another great option (or so I’ve heard).
  • Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken. We went to the downtown location, and let me tell you that chicken was fried to perfection.
  • Second Line. If you’re looking for a place a little more upscale, low-key, with great ambience, food, and drinks, head here. Note this restaurant is in midtown so it’s a bit of a trek if you’re staying downtown.
The infamous Peabody Hotel, home of the duck walk. Photo by J. Sylvester.

J Travels: Chicago, A Toast to the Unexpected

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Chicago Skyline

For every good thing I’ve heard about Chicago, I’ve heard 5 bad things. To put it simply, Chicago gets a bad rap. I’m glad I didn’t let its perception keep me away, because I would’ve missed out on one of the most beautiful cities I’ve visited thus far.

Over Memorial Day weekend I had the opportunity to visit one of my closest friends from college before she heads back to the East Coast. With only three days, or rather, two days and one night (thanks to a last-minute work emergency), we had a jammed pack itinerary of sightseeing, food and #summertimechi nightlife.

Here are a few tips for folks headed to Chicago:

Best Time to Visit

Now! (June-August)  It was still at little brisk as times while I was there at the end of May, but overall still gorgeous weather, no fog in sight.

Sightseeing

Wendella-architecture-tour-Chicago
  • One of the perks of great weather — we were able to do a Chicago Architecture (boat) Tour. We chose Wendella, but there are several different options to choose from. Whether a holiday weekend or not, get there early for a seat on the top deck! The tours take you along the Chicago River and out onto Lake Michigan — absolutely breathtaking.
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The view of Chicago from Signature Room at the 95th
Gorgeous view of the Chicago skyline. You would never know I was in the bathroom!
  • There are 2 main options for an amazing view of the Chicago skyline — the Willis Tower Skydeck (formerly known as the Sears Tower), and the John Hancock Building.  With about 45-60 minutes to spare, we thought we would have enough time to grab a quick drink at the Signature Room at the 95th (the highest floor of the John Hancock Building), and head back down — wrong! So how did I capture this amazing view? A quick trip to the ladies room! My friend remembered just before we left that it allows for a great, free sneak peak of the skyline. Not exactly ideal, but the same great view!
  • Unfortunately we missed the fireworks at Navy Pier by just a few minutes, but I imagine they’re absolutely beautiful on a clear night. Definitely check them out during the summer!

Nightlife

  • Near North Side Bars.  The great thing about Near North Side was that there were so many bars right next to each other — it made it easy to bar hop. On the first night alone we checked out 4 bars that each brought something different to the table: El Hefe, Rockit, Social Twenty Five and Three Dots and a Dash.

Eats

  • Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria. I had to get deep dish pizza!
  • Harold’s Chicken Shack. My first stop of the day, an institution in Chicago.
  • Beatrix. Brunch, brunch, brunch. We chose Beatrix and it did not disappoint. LOVE, the brown sugar bacon.
  • Glazed and Infused. Spoiled by their red velvet donut.
  • Garrett Popcorn. Gourmet popcorn anyone? Great snack on the go.

 

More pictures from my trip:

John-Hancock-Building-Restaurant

Now to cross off those last few items on my 2014 bucket list…

ayminor
Cherry-Blossoms-Spring-DC-thedistrict

How much can change in four months? A lot.

With a new job and a new apartment, I can officially call myself a resident of Virginia!

It has taken me a few months to get settled, but now that I am, ayminor.com will be back in full effect.

And with such a historical city within reach, you can look forward to more frequent posts as I take full advantage of everything the District has to offer.

Washington-monument-young-black-professional
Wine Tasting Napa Valley

J Travels: 5 Things I Learned Wine Tasting in Napa Valley

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One of my favorite memories from my trip to San Francisco.
  1. A key to understanding the differences between wines: tannins. Tannins are the textural elements that make wine taste dry. In most cases, there are a higher concentration of tannins in red wines than white wines.
  2. You should drink most white wines within 1-2 years, the sooner the better. Red Wines are better with age,10-20 years. Why you ask? Back to tannins. Tannins allow wine to better with age.
  3. You are told to “swirl” your glass of wine, particularly reds, but works for whites as well, to make it softer on your tannins and brings out the true aroma.
  4. Most wines are named after the key grape variety used to make them and some regions are better at certain types of grape varieties than others. For instance, Napa Valley is known for their Cabernet Sauvignon made with the cabernet sauvigon grape grown in the region.
  5. If you can’t see through the glass, it’s a good red wine.

Hopefully I didn’t just lie to yall… lol

BONUS:

Wine Folly | Food and Wine Pairing

From my friend to yours — time for a dinner party!

Original Source: Food and Wine Pairing Method

San Francisco Zoo Giraffe

J Travels: Visiting the San Francisco Zoo

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» The Reticulated Giraffe at the San Francisco Zoo | The smallest giraffe in the first frame (on the right) is only 6 weeks old! At the end of the video, you can see the zoo keeper on his way out to greet us. 

On a whim, I decided to visit the San Francisco Zoo on the last day of my trip.

In coordination with the scheduled feeding, the zoo keeper spent over 25 minutes with us answering questions about the giraffes, and providing general knowledge about the zoo’s mission and how they care for the animals.

Though the zoo is small in size, it was the perfect mid-afternoon adventure.

A few additional photos:

The Painted Ladies San Francisco

J Travels: If I had 4 Days in San Francisco…

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This picture captures so many elements of San Francisco — plummeting streets, sideways cars, and beautiful views of the water and surrounding cities

My trip to San Francisco was just the change in scenery I needed.  I was able to visit most of the ‘must-see’ sites without adhering to a crazy, pre-planned schedule. For people who like to do short trips, I think 4 days, 5 nights is plenty of time to get a feel for the city and its unique culture. The fact that it is only 49 square miles makes it that much easier.

I will save most of my photos for another post, but for the people just looking for some ideas, my trip went a little something like this..

  • Day 1: Napa Valley, Golden Gate Bridge, In-N-Out, the Marina, Fisherman’s Wharf (Bistro Boudin)
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The obligatory picture of the Golden Gate Bridge on our way to Napa Valley. We started with a tour of the Marina, and made a quick pitstop at In-N-Out for lunch right off Rt. 101.
  • Day 2: Tour of San Francisco | Haight Ashbury (Magnolia Gastropub & Brewery), Alamo Park, Painted Ladies, Full House House, Mrs. Doubtfire House, Ghirardelli Chocolate Marketplace, the Presidio, Ocean Beach
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I’m smiling, but I was tight! The new Full House owners repainted the house and blocked the front view with a tree — Danny Tanner would not approve.
Sunny Day at Ocean Beach
Unbelievable view from Ocean Beach, almost no one else there. It looks dream-like here, but it was actually freezing!
  • Day 3: Ferry Building & Farmer’s Market (Mijita Cocina Mexicana), Saulsalito (Salito’s Crab House & Prime Rib), Street Car
Ferry to Sausalito
Great food on Day 3 — make sure you get to the ferry a little early to explore the Farmer’s Market. Even though we couldn’t get tickets for the Alcatraz tour, we got an incredible glimpse on the ferry back to San Francisco.
  • Day 4: The Crepe House on Polk, San Francisco Zoo, Americano Restaurant & Bar, Google San Francisco Office
Google San Francisco Office
After dinner, I ended my trip with a tour of the Google San Francisco office right by the water complete with two trips down the slide, selfies in the photobooth and a little ping pong.

Since my return to the East Coast, every time I hear “Not A Bad Thing” on the radio I close my eyes and I can almost feel the warmth of the sun on my skin as we cruised over the Golden Gate bridge. San Francisco, my little piece of paradise.