Category Archives: Travel

Day 1 in Chicago 2017: Arrival, Deep Dish Pizza at Giordano’s, Vegan Dinner at Native Foods

Posted on January 1, 2018 by stenoodie

Dec. 27, 2017: Today was the first day of Chicago!!! ^_^ My last trip of 2017 :D. This was my second time visiting Chicago. I had previously visited when I was about 13 years old — I remember visiting the … Continue reading →

Posted in Travel | Tagged 218 South Clark Street, 223 W. Jackson Blvd., @GiordanosPizza twitter, @nativefoodscafe twitter, Billy Bishop Airport lounge, Cheese Deep Dish Pizza, Chicago travel blogs, Chicago's famous deep dish pizza, deep dish pizza in Chicago, foodie in Chicago, Giorando's deep dish pizza menu and prices, Giorando's Famous Stuffed Pizza, Giorando's menu and prices, Giordano deep dish pizza, Giordano's House Salad, Lavender Lemonade, Natives Food Café, Natives Food Café vegan food, Natives Food Cafe menu and prices, Natives Food Chicago, Natives Food vegan food, Paella, Plantain Chips and Dips, travel blogger, travel blogs in Chicago, Twister Wrap, Watermelon Fresca | 9 Comments

Hotel Review: Jingxi International Hotel in Changsha, China

Posted on November 14, 2017 by stenoodie

September 16, 2017: For our fourth night in Zhangjiajie, Changsha in China, we stayed at Jingxi International Hotel. This was a hotel that was very close to the tourist area with lots of shops and restaurants. It looked so nice … Continue reading →

Posted in Hotel Reviews, Travel | Tagged Changsha hotels, Chinese hotel reviews, Hotel Reviews, hotels in Zhangjiajie, hotels near Avatar mountains, Jingxi International Hotel | 3 Comments

Day 4 in Changsha, China 2017: Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge, Tianzi “Avatar” Mountains

Posted on November 13, 2017 by stenoodie

September 16, 2017: We visited the infamous mountains today made internationally known by the movie “Avatar”! But first, we had a continental breakfast early in the morning at 6:30 a.m. in the dining room at the Mellow Crystal Hotel. This … Continue reading →

Posted in Travel | Tagged Avatar mountains in China, Chinese tour group meals, Jinbian Stream, Jinbian Stream mini waterfall, Jingxi International Hotel, Tianzi Mountain, Tianzi Mountain "world's tallest elevator", Tianzi Mountain elevator ride, Tianzi Mountain park buses, Tianzi Mountain tallest elevator, Tianzi Mountains in China, Zhangjaijie Grand Canyon bridge, Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge, Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge photos, 天子山 | 11 Comments

Hotel Review: Mellow Crystal Hotel in Changsha, China

Posted on November 11, 2017 by stenoodie

September 15, 2017: For our third day in Zhangjiajie, China, we stayed at the Mellow Crystal Hotel (张家界梅洛水晶酒店). This was a really nice hotel! It seemed like we were alternating from good hotel to bad hotel and then good hotel each … Continue reading →

Posted in Hotel Reviews, Travel | Tagged China hotels, hotel review, hotel unlocking happy face, hotels in Zhangjaijie, Mellow Crystal Hotel, Mellow Crystal Hotel dining room, Mellow Crystal Hotel reviews, Mellow Crystal Hotel rooms, Zhangjiajie, Zhangjiajie Mellow Crystal Hotel, ZJJ Yongding District Xixiping Lijingtianxia Bulding, 张家界梅洛水晶酒店 | 2 Comments

Day 3 in Changsha, China 2017: Tianmen Mountain, Glass Floor Cliff Path, Tianmen Fox Fairy Show

Posted on November 10, 2017 by stenoodie

September 15, 2017: The day started early with a 6 a.m. morning call and departure at 7:30 a.m. After we got ready, we went to the same restaurant we went to last night for dinner for the continental breakfast. Breakfast selection … Continue reading →

Posted in Travel | Tagged cable car above houses, Changsha tourist photos, cloth slippers on glass path, Fenghuang County street sunrise, mountains in China tour, Mushroom soup hot pot dinner, reviews of Tianmen Fox Fairy show, The Love Story of A Woodman and A Fairy Fox 天門狐仙, Tianmen Fox Fairy Show, Tianmen Fox show reviews, Tianmen Mountain cable car station, Tianmen Mountain cable cars, Tianmen Mountain cliff path, Tianmen Mountain glass cliff path, Tianmen Mountain itinerary, Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park, Tianmen Mountain National Park, wide archway on Tianmen Mountain, winding roads on Tianmen Mountain, Zhangjiajie, 天門狐仙, 天門山 | 9 Comments

Hotel Review: Fengting International Hotel in Changsha

Posted on November 5, 2017 by stenoodie

We stayed here for one night on September 14, 2017. This hotel was located in the ancient city streets of Fenghuang County. You can see in the photos how ancient-looking it really was. As such, the hotel lobby was dim … Continue reading →

Posted in Hotel Reviews, Travel | Tagged $99 China tour, Changsha, China, Chinese hotel reviews, Fenghuang County hotel, Fengting International Hotel, Fengting International Hotel breakfast buffet, Fengting International Hotel reviews, Fengting International Hotel room, hotel review | 1 Comment

Day 2 in Changsha, China 2017: 7-Hour Bus Ride & Beautiful Fenghuang County

Posted on November 4, 2017 by stenoodie

September 14, 2017: On our first full day in Changsha, we woke up at 6:15 a.m. and got ready to go downstairs to eat breakfast on the fourth floor. It was a complimentary continental breakfast, Chinese style. There weren’t many … Continue reading →

Posted in Travel | Tagged Changsha China tour, Fenghuang Ancient Town, Fenghuang Ancient Town at night, Fenghuang County, Fenghuang County night views, Fengting International Hotel, Fengting International Hotel breakfast buffet, Phoenix Ancient City, Phoenix Ancient Town, The Grand Sea Hotel tour group lunch, Tongyuan Hotel breakfast buffet, Tongyuan Hotel breakfast food, Tongyuan Hotel continental breakfast buffet, Zhang Jia Jie tour bus | 7 Comments

Hotel Review: Yuantong Hotel in Changsha, China

Posted on October 12, 2017 by stenoodie

We stayed here for one night on Sept 13, 2017 for our first night in Changsha, China. We got to the hotel at 9 p.m. and checked in. We were in room 1301. We got one room key which electronically … Continue reading →

Posted in Hotel Reviews, Travel | Tagged China, electronic key unlocking smiley face, Hotel Reviews, hotels in Changsha, Hunan province hotels, six day Chinese tour hotels, Yuantong Hotel, Yuantong Hotel Changsha, Yuantong Hotel continental breakfast buffet | 3 Comments

Peking Duck Wrap at Pret a Manger

Posted on October 11, 2017 by stenoodie

September 28, 2017: Sandi had asked me about Pret a Manger in preparation for her trip to Asia next year. There was a Pret a Manger in the Hong Kong airport that she wanted to visit because she wanted to … Continue reading →

Posted in Food, Travel | Tagged @Pret twitter, Arrivals Hall A, Arrivals Level (L5), duck wraps, foodie, Hong Kong, Peking Duck Wrap, Pret a Manger, Pret a Manger HK airport, Pret Peking Duck Wrap, restaurants in Hong Kong airport, review, things to eat at Hong Kong airport | Leave a comment

Healthy Drinks and Herbal Jelly from Hung Fook Tong

Posted on October 10, 2017 by stenoodie

September 27, 2017: After almost three weeks of enjoying their healthy drinks, here is a brief blog post about it. Hung Fook Tong is a company that specializes in selling healthy drinks and herbal jelly. Apparently, they are the biggest … Continue reading →