The highlight of my career is finding time to venture out on my layovers. I had a couple of long layovers this fall that allowed me to visit some of my favorite hot spots. I hope you find some new restaurants and hot spots to add to your to-do list when visiting some of these destinations.
Spokane, Washington is home to many Artisan coffee shops.
My favorite is Coeur Coffee House. I love the gift section at Atticus Coffee and Gifts. Riverfront Park is a great place to go for a run or walk.
It's no secret I love Mexican cuisine.
Taco Deli serves the best tacos in Austin. I enjoy checking out local grocery and gourmet food stores when I travel.
Central Market in Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio are similar to Whole Foods but not as expensive.
I got up early in San Fransico to go exploring for a few hours. I stay at one of the airport hotels near San Fransisco International Airport. It is convenient to ride the hotel shuttle back to the airport and catch the BART to the city. It takes roughly 30 minutes to arrive at the Ferry Building. I enjoyed coffee at
Blue Bottle. I stocked up on some bulk foods at
Rainbow Grocery.
I had a layover in Newark. The weather was a perfect fall day so I had no excuse not to hop on a train to the city. It takes roughly 30 minutes from the airport to arrive at Penn Station in Manhattan. I enjoyed a matinee performance of
An American in Paris and an evening performance of
King Charles III.
I've learning to use public transportation on my layovers. It saves money and is convenient in most large cities. I rode the T from Midway Airport to downtown Chicago to visit the
Chicago French Market. It's not really like the Paris Markets but a few of the vendors are worth checking out. I like
Lolli and Pops for artisan chocolate and
RAW for healthy takeaway items. I stopped for a coffee break at
Intelligentsia and enjoyed dinner at
The Little Goat. The Little Goat is one Stephanie Izard's restaurants in Chicago. She won Top Chef. Check the website for cooking classes if you live in Chicago or will be visiting.
I took a last minute trip to London and Paris in September. I enjoyed seeing Nicole Kidman star in
Photograph 51. I also loved the musicial,
Bend it Like Beckham. London has some great markets including,
Borough Market. My favorite bakery is
Violet Cakes. I dined at
Yottum Oggoleni's restaurant and deli. The popular London chef and best-selling cookbook author is opening a location in NYC. I love the department stores in London.
Honest Burgers is my go-to spot for a quick meal while shopping. Several locations are located around London. For shopping, the magazine selection at Selfridges can't be beat. You can also get your nail done and a blowout. I love the beauty department at Liberty and the food section at Havey Nichols includes lots of healthy options.
After a couple of days in London, I took the Eurostar to Paris. The department stores are so fancy in Paris. I loved
BHV. It's not as expensive as some of the big name stores. For amazing views of the city and a great photo, visit the rooftop terrace at
Print Temps. I ate breakfast at
Holy Belly. So good! I picked up some delicious juices at
Bob's Juice Bar. I loved the chocolate ice cream at
Berthillon. I picked up some baking chocolate at
G. Detou. This little store is a slice of heaven for people that love to cook and bake. If you go, book
That Lou, a scavenger in the Louvre, in advance. You'll love it!
