Travel – Page 16

2018 Lake Charles, Louisiana | Day 1

January 4, 2018 by Mellie Dee Leave a Comment

[2018] 004/365: Vegetables With A Side Of Chicken

Ashy and Scruffy made dinner tonight. I always love when it’s mostly veggies and the carbs are nowhere in sight.

After dinner, Scruffy and I went off to Lake Charles. It was a pretty last minute decision but I’m glad we decided to get away.

Scruffy got hungry so we stopped by Popeye’s Lousiana Kitchen and took it to the house.

We are now currently sitting on the couch watching Game of Thrones and sipping on some alcohol. I cannot wait to see what is in store for us for the rest of the trip!

2017 Illinois & Wisconsin Trip for Sarah’s & Jacky’s Wedding

October 2, 2017 by Mellie Dee Leave a Comment

On Wednesday, September 20th, I packed my bags and bid farewell to Rizzo then headed over to Sissy’s with her and Tim. We spent the night and woke up a couple of hours later, Thursday, where I was devastated to find that I forgot to pack my jeans.

Anyone who knows me knows that I cannot stand sitting in many public seats without my legs covered up due to the nasty seats. But I prevailed – I put on my athletic shorts and we carried on for our five am flight where they gave out Stroopwafles as a snack.

We landed at eight and bought a day’s worth of public transportation.

After a fairly long train ride and a short walk later, we checked into our hotels, threw our bags in the room and headed off to breakfast.

After a short walk, we ended up at Yolk.

Yolk | Chicago, Illinois | Countryside Skillet

Countryside Skillet [seasoned potatoes, bacon, ham, sausage, mushroom, onion, green pepper, cheddar. Two eggs any style. Side of country sausage gravy. Toast, pancakes, or english muffin.] | $14

They messed up mine and BIL’s order but other than that, it was delicious! Too much food for one person!

We walked across the Chicago Riverwalk towards a Loft nearby just so I can buy a pair of jeans. Thank goodness! Such a beautiful view and look how scary it is that they all park backward in that garage!

Then we all headed to Millennium Park where we checked out the famous bean, The Cloud Gate. So many fingerprints were smeared all over that bean and I was sad to find that I couldn’t get a flawless picture because of it and I wasn’t about to wipe it down (shuddering at the thought of all the germs!).

And the Crown Fountain. I’m not too sure what the faces are about but there were so many little kids splashing around which was adorable.

After standing around for a while, we decided to hop on a bus to make use of our one-day transportation pass and headed to Navy Pier.

Navy Pier is right next to the Children’s Museum and therefore we saw a machine making many bubbles with little kids running through it.

Sissy and Tim played with the bubbles and said that it was super sticky so I can’t even imagine the parents having to clean these babies off!

We walked around the pier and due to the heat BIL got a margarita to go at Margaritaville while Tim and I got a cup of water.

I stopped into Making History Chicago, a souvenir shop for my usual postcard purchase before we headed outside.

Look at that view. I wish I lived somewhere where I can walk and see this. But I probably won’t enjoy it as much if it was at my fingertips, though.

As we were walking back to the bus stop, we noticed a lot of spiderwebs all over the beautiful flowers so I just had to get a snap … and also because Scruffy hates spiders and Sissy and BIL thought it’d be funny to send him some love this way.

I need to better my picture taking skills but you can make out that gorgeous spun web.

We hopped on the Nordiac bus and a short walk later, we were at Goose Island Tap Room.

Goose Island Tap Room | Chicago, Illinois | Sofie

Goose Island Sofie | Saison Beer

We sat and chatted for a long while since we were drenched in sweat and dying from the heat.

What a coincidence to see this sign. So much love coming all the way from Chicago.

We were recommended to have dinner at Au Cheval and decided it was time to check out the reviews where we found out that the wait was going to be horrific. The boys chugged their beers and we headed there just in time because when we got seated, people started piling in.

Au Cheval | Chicago, Illinois | Crispy Fries with Egg

Crispy Fries [mornay sauce, garlic aioli, and fried farm egg] | $9.95

Sissy’s order. I’ve never had garlic aioli I wasn’t a fan of until now and only because the mornay sauce was the bomb!

Au Cheval | Chicago, Illinois | 32 oz Pork Porterhouse

32 oz pork porterhouse [foie gras and roasted apples] | $38.95

Apparently, the porterhouse (a two to three serving) has limited availability and BIL just had to order it. Tim and I declined to share since we wanted the burger (what they’re known for) but we did hint we wouldn’t mind trying a small piece. Towards the end, BIL shared a bit more than intended. Though it was good, I’m not a big fan of pork (other than the bone area) so not something I’d recommend though BIL and Tim probably will.

Au Cheval | Chicago, Illinois | Single Cheeseburger with Bacon and Egg

Single Cheeseburger | $11.95; Add bacon | $3.50, Add egg | $1.00

Tim and I both got the single cheeseburger with added egg. Tim added bacon as well so just picture mine without bacon. It also comes with a pickle. Delicious. Maybe I was super hungry but it could pass as one of the best burgers I’ve had in forever.

Au Cheval | Chicago, Illinois | French Fries

French Fries [garlic aioli] | $6.25

I didn’t know Sissy got fries so I ordered the regular and I kept trying to steal some of her mornay sauce. Without that sauce the fries aren’t worth the money.

We walked to Walgreens for water and little knickknacks we didn’t pack before heading back to the hotel and calling it a night. We slept like babies due to lack of sleep the night before.

We woke up Friday morning and had breakfast at the hotel.

We played a couple rounds of some card game BIL brought with him (Gordon and Patsy stopped by to say hi since they had just landed) then packed up our bags, checked out, and checked in our bags at the concierge.

Then headed to Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria. That was the reason for the card playing.

Lou Malnati's Pizzeria | Chicago, Illinois | The Lou Personal Pizza

The Lou Personal Pizza [spinach mix (enhanced with garlic, basil & onion), mushrooms and sliced Roma tomatoes covered with three cheeses] | $10.25

Sissy being vegetarian got the personal pizza that served one and even then did not finish due to a heavier breakfast. It was good but the crust on the bottom was quite soggy due to all the veggies.

Lou Malnati's Pizzeria | Chicago, Illinois | The Malnati Chicago Classic Large Pizza

The Malnati Chicago Classic Large Pizza [Lou’s lean sausage, some extra cheese and vine-ripened tomato sauce on Buttercrust] | $26.05

Tim, BIL, and I shared a large and though I am a lover of pan pizza, I will say, with all the ingredients in there, the crust on the bottom was still super crispy.

Look at how the ingredients pile up! And there was still leftovers — the boys tried so hard to shove it down their throats and did not complete the challenge.

We headed back to the hotel, got our luggage, and headed to Hertz to pick up our car.

We started our drive towards Madison, Wisconsin where I worked on updating and memorizing the wedding schedule and took a nap.

Soon enough, we were checking into the hotel where we received goodie bags from the bride and groom.

After dropping our luggage off at our rooms we went to The Great Dane, a pub and brewing company.

We ordered beers and snacks while playing Chinese card game.

The Great Dane | Madison, Wisconsin | Crop Circle Wheat

Crop Circle Wheat [60% wheat malt and imported German yeast and hops – refreshing and somewhat spicy, served unfiltered with a slice of lemon]

I got the sampler tasting cup size so it was only like a dollar something. So worth it since I don’t drink much. I wish more places did it that way!

The Great Dane | Madison, Wisconsin | Old Glory Cheese Curds

Old Glory Cheese Curds [over one-half pound of American Pale Ale hand-battered Ellsworth Wisconsin cheese curds served with a roasted Hatch green chili crema] | $9.25

It was nothing special. Tasted like fried mozzarella. No squeak, which is what I heard makes cheese curds, cheese curds.

The Great Dane | Madison, Wisconsin | Poutine

Poutine [fresh hot pub fries and Ellsworth Wisconsin garlic dill cheese curds finished with a rich gravy and minced chives] | $6.75

This was a better option, cheaper too than the cheese curds. We scarfed these down very quickly.

After, we dropped Tim off at Ichiban Sichuan for the wedding rehearsal dinner – without the rehearsal – and headed to the lake.

We walked around and I was able to capture some shots.

I tried to capture the ducks and only got this good picture since seconds after this shot some kids ran up to them telling them to shoo away.

We walked into Graze for dinner but due to a short wait, we took a walk around the capital.

Look how it lights up!

And how it reflects off the glass building across the street. Graze is located on the right of the building.

Bibimbap [choice of marinated: ground pork or tofu, crispy rice, sunny-side up egg, sauteed bok choy, market vegetables, spicy gochujang] | $16

Sissy ordered the bibimbap which was way better than I expected since I live in a city with a Chinatown.

Graze | Madison, Wisconsin | Pan Seared Gnocchi

Pan Seared Gnocchi [delicata squash, kale, chevre, honey crisp apples, cider redux, ground cherry brown butter] | $19

Though my gnocchi was to die for, especially the vegetables thrown in there, it was super expensive for the amount of food I got. I forgot that’s how fancy places are.

We walked into Walgreens for my usual postcard purchase before we headed back to the hotel where I got ready for tomorrow’s big day while Sissy, BIL, and Tim played more card games.

Saturday morning, Sarah and Jacky’s wedding day … but first breakfast at the hotel after a quick stop by Brudda’s and SIL’s room to pick up Emmy to join us.

After breakfast, Emmy, Sissy, Brudda, SIL, BIL, and Peggy all went to Dane County Farmer’s Market. We kept bumping into people and it took us a while to realize that everyone was going in one direction and that it looped around the capital.

Brudda and I took so many shots of sunflowers since the bees were buzzing. He has way better shots than mine (he has a better camera too) but it was fun getting to shoot alongside him since these moments are very rare now.

A bunch of various flowers was way cheaper than those we find here in Houston. I am not a lover of flowers but the colors captivated me.

And the tri-color cauliflowers! I wished so bad that we had an extra day and a kitchen so that we could buy ingredients and make a meal!

Everyone bough mango smoothies to beat the heat except for me. Does anyone else get even thirstier after drinking juices?

Soon enough we found a cheese curd stand worth stopping for, Schroeder Kase.

I went crazy and bought a few bags and Sissy and BIL bought a couple. So much squeak! Sadly the squeak was gone when we got it home but a few short seconds in the microwave put the squeak back (a bit).

One of the places I wanted to visit for cheese shopping was Fromagination so I was ecstatic to find out that it was at the same place as the market!

Look at all the cheese! SIL and I were able to try some before we made our purchases. Great customer service here.

We headed back to the hotel where I quickly picked up my things and headed to Olbrich Botanical Gardens with John, Tim, and Jo to set up the reception area. John and Tim got us Chickfila for lunch. Yum!

After much set back the wedding was on its way. I was able to catch a shot of the bride and father of the bride as they walked down the aisle toward the groom and pastor. Not to toot my own horn but I love this shot and what this shot symbolizes.

There was a buffet of food and I must say the best wedding food I’ve had ever … and I’ve been to many weddings!

The bride and groom even paid for everyone at the wedding to attend the Gleam: Art in a New Light Exhibit which the gardens held for the public.

There were lights hanging off and wrapped around trees and even lighted up sculptures. I love little lights! Sigh … so pretty. My photography skills are still lacking, but I am still going to share the pictures below.

After cleaning up and making sure everyone has left the location we headed back to the hotel, changed, and packed up. Then it was a long drive back to the Chicago airport.

Our flight was at five am Sunday so we didn’t get any sleep. We knocked out on the plane – I missed snack time! When we landed a little before eight am we stopped by Sissy’s and BIL’s house before heading home and dropping Tim off on the way.

Once home we all took showers then headed to New Pho Katy with the family and Tim and all head back to our house where we played a few card games before Scruffy and Luna came over.

We played a round of Camel Up before disbanding and calling it a day. We were all pooped and couldn’t wait to lay in bed and do nothing.

I accepted when Sarah asked me to be her day of wedding coordinator. I’ve done certain parts of other weddings in the past but to be in control of a whole day was something I never imagined especially coming from my cousin! I can only hope I did a good enough job to where the bride and groom had a swell time. It was a great experience and I had fun doing it!

Sarah and Jacky had their tea ceremony on Saturday, September 30th at her parents’ house and afterward, we all went to Sushi9. Scruffy got to experience how a tea ceremony kind of works and I was so thankful he showed up even though he was not feeling well. Trooper. Now that her wedding is over, who is next? Call me up. I can be your coordinator. hehe

Yolk
340 N State St, Chicago, IL 60654 | (855) 328-9655 | Website | Yelp

Chicago Riverwalk
400 E Lower Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60601 | Website | Yelp

Loft
51 E Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60601 | (312) 269-0301 | Website | Yelp

Millennium Park
201 E Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60602 | (312) 742-1168 | Website | Yelp

The Cloud Gate
201 E Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60602 | (312) 742-1168 | Website | Yelp

Crown Fountain
201 E Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60602 | (312) 742-1168 | Yelp

Navy Pier
600 E Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60611 | (312) 595-7437 | Website | Yelp

Margaritaville
700 E Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60611 | (312) 496-3840 | Website | Yelp

Making History Chicago
700 E Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60611 | (312) 645-0062 | Yelp

Goose Island Tap Room
1800 W Fulton St, Chicago, IL 60612 | (800) 466-7363 | Website | Yelp

Au Cheval
800 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60607 | (312) 929-4580 | Website | Yelp

Walgreens
151 N State St, Chicago, IL 60601 | (312) 863-4249 | Yelp

Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria
439 N Wells St, Chicago, IL 60654 | (312) 828-9800 | Website | Yelp

Hertz
401 N State St, Chicago, IL 60610 | (312) 372-7600 | Yelp

The Great Dane
123 E Doty St, Madison, WI 53703 | (608) 284-0000 | Website | Yelp

Graze
1 S Pinckney St, Madison, WI 53703 | (608) 251-2700 | Website | Yelp

Walgreens
15 E Main St, Madison, WI 53703 | (608) 257-3814 | Yelp

Dane’s County Farmers Market
2 E Main St, Madison, WI 53703 | (608) 455-1999 | Website | Yelp

Fromagination
12 S Carroll St, Madison, WI 53703 | (608) 255-2430 | Website | Yelp

Olbrich Botanical Gardens
3330 Atwood Ave, Madison, WI 53704 | (608) 246-4550 | Website | Yelp

Pho Katy
811 S Mason Rd, Katy, TX 77450 | (281) 206-7933 | Website | Yelp

Thuy’s & Vu’s Wedding

March 1, 2017 by Mellie Dee 1 Comment

L to R: Scruffy, Me, Amy, Andy, Vu, Thuy, Patricia, Rachel, Maria, Ryan

Last weekend, Scruffy and I drove up to Austin to witness Thuy and Vu tie the knot. It was one of the best weddings I’ve ever been to and it was all planned out by the newlyweds. Props. I cannot wait to see what their future holds. I’m hoping twins since it’s in his genes. hehe It was such a lovely, fun weekend, albeit I was super grouchy and tired.

Hope Outdoor Gallery
1101 Baylor St, Austin, TX 78703
Yelp

On Friday, February 24th, Scruffy and I woke up and bolted out the door. We made stops to Randall’s, McDonald’s, and Walgreens before making our way to the well known graffiti wall. I see so many people take pictures here and even have friends that tag so it’s been on my list of to-do’s.

Hope Outdoor Gallery | Austin, Texas | Artist Spray Paints Graffiti Wall

It was super sunny and the artist was drenched with sweat but he continued on. Dedication right there. I wish I got to see his finish product though and also wished we brought spray paint so we could leave our mark as well.

There was a lot of climbing on slanted, rocky ground and since I forgot to change into my trainers before we started, I only climbed up as much as I could – dang flip flops. Scruffy ventured out a little more and I was able to get some cool shots of him. After he had enough sweating we headed to lunch.

Michi Ramen | Austin, Texas | Sapporo Ramen, Michi Ramen, Green Tea Mochi, Pistachio Mochi

Michi [chashu slices, roasted nori, mayu oil, woodear mushrooms, green onions] | $9.72 ~ Sapporo [chashu slices, bean sprouts, corn/butter, woodear mushrooms, green onions] | $10.75 ~ Green Tea Mochi and Pistachio Mochi | 2 for $3 ~ Add Ons: Ajitama [marinated soft-boiled egg] | $1 ~ Spicy Homemade Chili Oil | $0.50 ~ Mayu Blackened Garlic Oil | $0.50

Michi Ramen
6519 N Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78752
(512) 386-1908 | Website

Scruffy’s classic Michi Ramen had the perfect flavour while my Sapporo Ramen was a little salty probably due to adding the garlic oil which he opted out of adding. It was also a downer that they didn’t have bean sprouts but only a mixture of veggies. We went right around opening time so to not have something that you know is a staple is unacceptable.

For the mochis: Pistachio just doesn’t do well but the green tea was on point. Other than that the mochis weren’t anything to rave about.

There’s nothing much to say about this place. I thought it’d be the bomb dot com but walked out unsatisfied.

Oskar Blues Brewery
10420 Metric Blvd, Austin, TX 78758
(512) 243-7054 | Website

We decided to check into our hotel so that we can put our bags down before heading to a brewery. The traffic was starting so we found this one close by and it was not a let down.

I loved a select few and he liked practically all of them. The glass in the picture is a smaller glass for $3 which is great if you don’t drink much or want to try more. After a few more beers, Scruffy agreed to use the photo booth they had with me which made my day.

We bid farewell and headed towards Rock Rose Domain area. I dragged him into Paper Source, Francesca’s, Sephora and various other shops bumping into two of the bridesmaids.

Jack and Ginger’s Irish Pub
11500B Rock Rose, Austin, TX 78758
(512) 350-3738 | Website

We came in for a Irish Car Bomb and decided to get the wings as well. They were both equally delicious. I didn’t remember to take a picture of the wings but …

… I was able to snap a picture of this cutie. He’s probably going to hate this picture but I love his little smirk.

Adelbert’s Brewery
2314 Rutland Dr #100, Austin, TX 78758
(512) 662-1462 | Website

We headed to our last brewery, the one he’s been wanting to revisit again. We paid for the special they have that comes with 6 beers, a tour and glass per person. Naked Nun is still my favourite. Mmm …

The two kitties stole the show though. They just adopted them for mice catching purposes but I’m sure the one on the right is planning a getaway.

FryDeez Food Truck | Austin, Texas | Kardiac Arrest Eggroll

Kardiac Arrest Eggroll [steak fajita, bacon, chipotle pork combined with a blend of four cheeses with sweet potato chips] | Large $10

FryDeez
(512) 655-3907 | Yelp

They always have food trucks on site and we were lucky enough to try their giant eggroll. We didn’t know how hungry we were until we scarfed down our food in minutes. Sweet potato chips are 100% better than regular kettle chips places usually serve. All restaurants, take notice.

Rock Rose | Taverna | Austin, Texas | Fritto Misto

Fritto Misto [calamari, shrimp, shallots, zucchini, and carrots, with spicy tomato aioli] | $13.95

Taverna
3120 Palm Way #160, Austin, TX 78758
(512) 356-9384 | Yelp

We had a swift stop at the hotel before heading out to meet with Trisha and her friend, Christy. We ended up back at Rock Rose Domain where Trisha ate dinner and the rest of us drank. Scruffy and I shared the platter of fried goodness but stopped munching on it due to the super oily residue it kept leaving in our mouths and fingers.

After hours and hours of catching up, Trisha gave us some goodies and we bid farewell. Back to the hotel for a good night’s rest.

On Saturday, February 25th, Scruffy and I sleepily made our way downstairs for our complimentary breakfasts. We bumped into Amy and caught up with her while we waited for our food. As we all made our way back to our rooms, we realized Amy was rooming right across from us! #winning Scruffy and I enjoyed our breakfast with a side of Lost. Those are hands down some of the best potatoes we’ve had.

We decided to pick up some liquor and drinks to pregame with.

#2 Meal [cheeseburger, french fries, medium drink]

In-N-Out Burger
12431 N Interstate 35 Frontage Rd, Austin, TX 78753
(800) 786-1000 | Website

And decided to pick up lunch to take back to the hotel so we could watch telly while eating. In-N-Out in Texas is a great big fail. It might be the best over in California but here, it’s always been a miss. The fries were so stale that Scruffy punctured his gums and started bleeding.

Marriot Hotel | Austin, Texas | Thuy's & Vu's Wedding | Patricia, Amy, Mellie Dee, Scruffy, Andy

L to R: Patricia, Amy, Me, Scruffy, Andy

I was so busy pregaming that when I went over to Amy’s room to hang out, I realize everyone else was almost done getting ready. We met up at the hotel lobby for a quick picture and to carpool to the festivities.

Holy Vietnamese Martyrs Catholic Church | Austin, Texas | Thuy's & Vu's Wedding

Thuy & Vu tie the knot!

We waited patiently for the ceremony to start during which I noticed many familiar faces. After an hour later, the two were officially married. Look at them smiles! And her dress is to DIE for. Sigh …

Amy & Patricia

There was a two hour gap until the reception so we all headed to HEB for snacks and drinks, headed back to the hotel where we gathered in the lobby. After awhile, I started falling asleep and Scruffy and I went upstairs for a nap.

New Fortune Chinese Seafood Restaurant | Austin, Texas | Thuy’s & Vu’s Wedding | Reception Dinner

Crab Meat Fish Maw Soup, Scallop Fried Rice, Phoenix Tail Shrimp and Walnut Shrimp, Crispy Honey Chicken, Abalone with Black Mushrooms and Snow Pea Leaves, Wedding Cake, Seasonal Fruit, Black Pepper Steak Cubes, Steam Lobster Tail

New Fortune
10901 N Lamar Blvd #501, Austin, TX 78753
(512) 832-9992 | Yelp

The reception was off the hook. Vu’s dad was the best performer ever, singing and dancing! I see where Vu gets it from now. And the food was on point and perfectly catered to the different ethnicity present. I think the least favourite was the chicken. Cold chicken seems to put non-Asians off.

New Fortune Chinese Seafood Restaurant | Austin, Texas | Thuy's & Vu's Wedding | Mellie Dee

Vu & Thuy! — and Me

Just a picture to show the different garbs they changed into.

New Fortune Chinese Seafood Restaurant | Austin, Texas | Thuy's & Vu's Wedding | Amy, Mellie Dee, Patricia, Andy

Amy, Me, Patricia, Andy, Me!

And of course, it would not be complete without these signature pose pictures.

Punch Bowl Social
11310 Domain Dr, Austin, TX 78758
(512) 368-9070 | Website

When the lights turned on around eleven, it was time to head out. We stopped by at the hotel then headed to the after party. People slowly trickled in and we were able to talk to everyone who was to busy to before due to their wedding duties.

After a while the majority was crashing. We stopped by Whataburger before going back to the hotel.

On Sunday, February 26th, Scruffy and I overslept and missed the breakfast. I ate my leftover Whataburger, packed the rest of our stuff, and headed downstairs to bid Amy and Patricia goodbye while Andy was showering.

Bombay Grill | Richmond, Texas | Chicken Vindaloo, Lamb Roganjosh, Garlic Naan, Saffaron Rice, Raita

Chicken Vindaloo, Lamb Roganjosh, Garlic Naan, Raita, Saffaron Rice

Bombay Grill
1852 FM 359 Rd, Richmond, TX 77406
(832) 595-9400 | Website

We’ve both had Indian food the past couple of weekends but we were still craving it and had decided before the trip began we would come back for lunch. We ordered our usual and scarfed it down before heading back to his place for an episode of Lost. Then it was home for dinner with the family since Sissy and BIL were coming over.

Scruffy & Me

Especially thankful for this kid right here for hanging out with me and my friends, getting me dranks because my ass was too lazy to do so, taking various silly photo booth pictures, and still sticking around even though I was constantly grouchy. Yous a trooper!

2017 Asia Trip | Day 8

January 13, 2017 by Mellie Dee Leave a Comment

Sissy and I woke up very early and got ready for the day. We weren’t really able to sleep much but I would say the pod wasn’t too bad.

The only incident was that when I went up to go pee in the middle of the night a lady claimed that she went to get a drink of water and came back and found out that someone had stolen her two passports. Thank goodness I got Sissy to watch my pod while I went. We weren’t sure if she ever got them back but I hope that she did.

We woke up too early for any places to be open for food so we walked around and found this massage chair. It cost only a dollar something for a 10 minute massage. Since there’s nothing else to do I dropped some coins in and sat down. My back felt so much better afterwards.

We walked back to Tatsu thinking it will be Ramen. But when we got there we realized they served udon. We didn’t know where else to go so we ordered our udon. One curry and one regular. It wasn’t the best but we made do.

We went and bought some souvenirs before going towards our gate. It’s a very big store with so much to look at!

We stopped by a sushi place since hello Japan. We ordered the $17 plate of sushi and shared it. My sister is vegetarian and I was surprised that she tried more than I thought she would.

We went to our last restroom break before the flight. One that cleans your bum and the other you squat at.

A snack was served a little after take off and dinner three hours in.

We were served a sandwich halfway through the flight but I didn’t get one. I was too full and knew we would be served breakfast soon. Two to three hours before landing we were served breakfast, just as I thought.

I was able to capture the sunrise which is the most beautiful sight I’ve ever seen. So much cloudiness and so much brightness all in one. I was also able to see another plane fly alongside of us as you can see in the last picture.

Sissy and I took the Uber home. We showered and she took a long nap. Then we, along with Brett, Bruno, and Kato, went home to see Rizzo, June, and Rocky. Scruffy and Luna came over as well and we went to dinner at Buffalo Wild Wings. We came back for a couple games of Camel Up while tasting wasabi Kit Kat, Sake Kit Kat, and this crunchy noodle snack.

Though I wish I was still back in Hong Kong, I’m happy to be home. I have missed my pups and Scruffs.

2017 Asia Trip | Day 7

January 12, 2017 by Mellie Dee Leave a Comment

Hello, my loves! I took some pictures of the first half of my day on my camera but being where I am at the moment I cannot get them up so words are all you’ll get.

We woke up and had plans for our last meal in Hong Kong to be Dim Sum with the parents, Kathy, and PoPo.

Afterward we went shopping to get last-minute things we wanted to buy. I even scored a new cardigan from Kathy!

It was time to head to the airport and once there Kathy and Mum walked around with us for a bit before we entered our gate.

When we finally boarded we were given a snack and moments later we were fed. This flight was shorter this time around which I appreciate because it means we were closer to home.

Once we landed we rode a bus to terminal two to find our abode for the night. We were going to explore Japan with our 14 hour layover but we didn’t pack winter jackets and it is currently in the 40s.

We rented pods, or capsules as they call it, in the airport. We are both super excited for the experience. I will say that it was kind of hard to find but … we made it, checked in, and put our stuff down.

Then we ventured to find an ATM and went into 7 Eleven to get drinks to go with our bread Kathy bought us before we left Hong Kong. Once we polished it all we walked back to Nine Hours.

How the capsules look like at a glance. They give you a bag with a robe, toothbrush, toothpaste, slippers, and towels. They supply the shampoo, conditioner, and body wash as well and even have multiple hair dryers which is pretty awesome! Oh and did I mention your own locker?

Once Sissy and I were done with our nightly routine we bid farewell and went into our own pods.

So far everything seems to be pretty cool. I’ll report back on how I feel once I complete my night.

Until then, stay positive and think good thoughts!

Yolk 340 N State St, Chicago, IL 60654 | (855) 328-9655 | Website | Yelp

Chicago Riverwalk 400 E Lower Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60601 | Website | Yelp

Loft 51 E Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60601 | (312) 269-0301 | Website | Yelp

Millennium Park 201 E Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60602 | (312) 742-1168 | Website | Yelp

The Cloud Gate 201 E Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60602 | (312) 742-1168 | Website | Yelp

Crown Fountain 201 E Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60602 | (312) 742-1168 | Yelp

Navy Pier 600 E Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60611 | (312) 595-7437 | Website | Yelp

Margaritaville 700 E Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60611 | (312) 496-3840 | Website | Yelp

Making History Chicago 700 E Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60611 | (312) 645-0062 | Yelp

Goose Island Tap Room 1800 W Fulton St, Chicago, IL 60612 | (800) 466-7363 | Website | Yelp

Au Cheval 800 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60607 | (312) 929-4580 | Website | Yelp

Walgreens 151 N State St, Chicago, IL 60601 | (312) 863-4249 | Yelp

Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria 439 N Wells St, Chicago, IL 60654 | (312) 828-9800 | Website | Yelp

Hertz 401 N State St, Chicago, IL 60610 | (312) 372-7600 | Yelp

The Great Dane 123 E Doty St, Madison, WI 53703 | (608) 284-0000 | Website | Yelp

Graze 1 S Pinckney St, Madison, WI 53703 | (608) 251-2700 | Website | Yelp

Walgreens 15 E Main St, Madison, WI 53703 | (608) 257-3814 | Yelp

Dane’s County Farmers Market 2 E Main St, Madison, WI 53703 | (608) 455-1999 | Website | Yelp

Fromagination 12 S Carroll St, Madison, WI 53703 | (608) 255-2430 | Website | Yelp

Olbrich Botanical Gardens 3330 Atwood Ave, Madison, WI 53704 | (608) 246-4550 | Website | Yelp

Pho Katy 811 S Mason Rd, Katy, TX 77450 | (281) 206-7933 | Website | Yelp