To Travel is To Live

With a name like "The Park", are you really sure what you may find behind its doors? Well, don't let this stop you from trying out this wonderful gem of a restaurant in Quarry Park. Located in the old Baton Rouge building, on the corner of 18th Street SE and Quarry Park Blvd SE, not only does The Park offer fresh, sustainable and locally produced food options, but they have a fabulous west-facing patio unobstructed by tall buildings! With these types of outdoor seating options few and far between in this city, we were especially excited that The Park offers us a well-rounded dining and drinking option in our neighborhood. Aside from some decor alterations and removed walls, the inside of the restaurant looks quite similar to Baton Rouge (albeit more cheerful). Both the dining room and the lounge are quite large and always seem to have room for customers when we stop in, usually for a weekend lunch, late afternoon beer on the patio, or dinner. I cannot, yet, speak to...

With a name like "The Park", are you really sure what you may find behind its doors?  Well, don't let this stop you from trying out this wonderful gem of a restaurant in Quarry Park.  Located in the old Baton Rouge building, on the corner of 18th Street SE and Quarry Park Blvd SE, not only does The Park offer fresh, sustainable and locally produced food options, but they have a fabulous west-facing patio unobstructed by tall buildings!  With these types of outdoor seating options few and far between in this city, we were especially excited that The Park offers us a well-rounded dining and drinking option in our neighborhood.  Aside from some decor alterations and removed walls, the inside of the restaurant looks quite similar to Baton Rouge (albeit more cheerful).  Both the dining room and the lounge are quite large and always seem to have room for customers when we stop in, usually for a weekend lunch, late afternoon beer on the patio, or dinner.  I cann...

I have only been to Mercato twice in my life but I believe it has become one of my top 5 favorite restaurants in Calgary. The food is delicious, no matter what I try, and the unique 'family style' way of dining is fun, intimate, and educational! The menu offers a traditional take on Italian dining, with four courses, plus vegetables. Portions are generally sized for 2 people, but we have found that ordering one antipasti , one primi , and one secondi is more than enough food for two people! Our group of 12 chose Mercato as our May dinner club establishment. The unfortunate part about our experience was that we had to split up our table into 2 groups of 6 because Mercato only would offer us a 'set menu' for more than 7 people. Having had less than desirable experience with this in the past, we opted to try the split table idea in order to allow everyone to choose something off the menu. Overall, I think it worked out well, though, of course, there wasn't much c...

Selecting a resort can often be stressful. I use Trip Advisor and other independent reviews to read through what others have to say, but even this can be deceptive once you arrive. The Dreams Riviera resort was not a disappointment. This resort is absolutely beautiful with lush gardens, comfortable and modern rooms, and plenty to eat and drink! Below is a view from our balcony, a room on the 4th floor of building #1. We faced an old, rundown resort that is in need of a new owner and major TLC. With oceanfront property, I wish I had the investment capital to take on such a large project because the area is beautiful and sits between two expansive, high-end resorts. The soundproofing in the rooms was very good from the outside noise (locals seemed to hang out in the next door property, playing games, partying, and I ticking their dogs to bark furiously all day), but, like any tropical resort hotel, every single noise from the halls was amplified by the tile flooring. I think thi...

Today we experienced the Caribbean Sea from a diver's perspective. Well, it was my first time diving these waters anyway. A few uncertain moments this morning led us to wonder whether we would make these scheduled dives - Bryan was hit by tummy troubles late last night that also seem to be hitting a few others this week. Luckily he is determined and we made it to our dive. The first dive was to the wreck, a purposely sunk C-56, former US Navy minesweeper retired in 1946. Compared to the battleships and air craft carriers we have toured recently, this ship was quite small. All I kept anticipating was that slow view of a massive ship wreck as we descended....and I totally missed it! I hit the bottom and turned around, and there it was. Not nearly as magnificent as I had hoped. We were, however, able to swim through the ship, checking out the engine rooms and some living quarters. It wasn't completely dark and holes had been cut into it for quick exit, but it would have b...

An hour and a half from our resort there is a collection of caves that the Mayans found many, many years ago. Accessible in only a few locations, these caves are mostly filled with water, providing divers with yet another underwater experience. Known as "cenotes", the entrances are actually a result of sinkholes causing exposure to the underground caves beneath. Mayans used these areas for sacrificial ceremonies, many of which sound quite awful. To dive the cenotes, you need a sense of adventure and no fear of either the dark or confined spaces. We were provided with powerful torches so we could always see around us, but there are times when no natural light can be seen. The spaces and caverns were usually quite large but swimming between some rocks were tight on occasion. We were kept out of the official caves, though, as our group did not have that experience. Yet (this is one of my diving goals). I did well. I didn't panic or get scared, but afterward I though...

Well, it's settled: IF I ever get married, having it in a beach is the way to go!!! With a group of about 30 people, Jen and Simon were able to say their vows in a small area on the left side of the beach. She wore no shoes, perfect when she was standing next to Simon right in the sand. After walking down the aisle, the ceremony consisted of a few minutes' worth of advice from the wedding official and Jen and Simon's own vows. It was short, sweet, and lovely. During their pictures, we all went to the lounge before heading to the cocktail hour down by one of the jacuzzis. H'or duerves were served, along with an interesting blue drink (which Jen's 12 year old niece kept trying to get her hands on). Dinner was served buffet-style on a deck by the beach, a beautiful setting that included the bride and groom with the rest of their guests. Few of the traditional weddings events occurred, such as endless speeches and toasts, but those that mattered still were bui...