Author: Susan

On My 2016

Thoughts

Happy New Year, guys! Another 365 days have come and gone, and I’m thankful that my family, friends and I have enjoyed another year of being healthy and happy. While I saw many statuses and headlines along the lines of “Is 2016 over yet?”, I can’t help but look back on my own 2016 and feel like it was actually one of my best years ever.

When I was sad about leaving Hong Kong this April, one of my HK teammates said, “Susan, don’t look back – look forward!” While I consider that to be good advice and recognize my tendency to dwell on the nostalgic past, I also think it’s essential to reflect and appreciate yet another year that has shaped me into who I am. A friend shared a reflection guide with me a couple of New Years back, and I dug it up to do again for 2016.

The Highs:  What I’m proud of 
The Lows: What didn’t go so well
  • Continuing to miss Asia and struggling to get over the nostalgia
  • Feeling unhealthy and gaining weight
  • Failing to be productive with my free time, especially during unemployment
The Wishes:  What I wish I did differently
  • That I’d been more productive with my free time
  • That I’d built better health habits, especially during funemployment, when I had a lot of time I could’ve spent working out
The Worries that Weren’t: What I was worried about that ended up being fine
  • I was discouraged about job searching but tried to stay resilient – and it paid off when I finally received two job offers in November!
Big Life Events
  • May – Moved back to the U.S. after nearly two years in Asia
  • July – Quit my job and moved home to Chicago
  • November – Started my new job in Chicago

2016 was a transformative year for me in many ways. The two years I’d spent in Asia were the perfect way for me to grow personally (also physically, which was a negative side-effect) and to cement the core values that make me who I am. I lived out those values in 2016, and I’m really proud of having done so:

I remembered that I love my family above all, and so I quit my job in New York so that I could come home to Chicago while my grandparents were still visiting. I remembered that I am outgoing and sociable (even though I hate happy hours and small talk), and so I shamelessly cold-emailed alumni to ask for career advice. I remembered that I have the skills and experiences that got me to where I am today, and so I bounced back from job rejections knowing that eventually, one would come through. I remembered that I care about making a difference and not as much about lending money (farewell, commercial banking), and so I ventured into a role at an education startup to try and do some good.

I’m so excited for 2017. If 2016 was a year for me to cement my core values, 2017 will be the year I see what I can really do with it. I’m starting a new chapter of my life right here in Chicago, and I can’t wait to see what it’s going to bring!

Eat This in Montréal

Eat This, Montreal

If you’re a first time visitor, make sure to check out Eat This: An Introduction.

When my friends and I decided to visit Montréal, we expected to see gorgeous old cobblestone streets and hear Canadian French being spoken. What we didn’t expect was how absolutely incredible the Montréal food scene would be. It’s a good thing we walked a lot that trip, because we seriously stuffed our faces with the diverse and delicious food in the beautiful city. I can’t wait to go back!

1. Schwartz’s (Smoked Meat Sandwiches; Lunch/Dinner)

  • Menu: You honestly don’t need this, but here is the menu.
  • Reservations: No – and be prepared to wait in line for at least a half hour.
  • Try: Smoked meat sandwich.
  • Tips: In addition to the smoked meat sandwich, the Montreal version of cherry coke was a favorite at our table. Also, just obey the servers – ours basically just ordered four smoked meat sandwiches for us and we’re so glad we just listened to him. The born-and-bred New Yorker in our group admitted that Schwartz’s was better than Katz’s in Lower East Side, so make sure you get out here.
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Smoked meat sandwich | Schwartz’s | Montreal, CA

2.  Mâche! (Comfort Food; Lunch/Dinner)

  • Menu: Mâche! Menu
  • Reservations: No.
  • Try: The pulled pork poutine (à l’Effiloché de porc) and the spicy paté chinois (le “Spicy”).
  • Tips: Come with a friend, or a big group if possible – the food is delicious, but pretty heavy so best if shared. Also, take some time to explore Rue St-Denis when you’re finished eating!
  • Read my Yelp review here.

3. Jean-Talon Market (Market; Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner/Dessert)

  • Menu: Check out its Yelp page to see all the food here!
  • Reservations: Nope – there are some seating areas both inside and around the market, but it gets crowded!
  • Try:  The tacos near the seating area are amazing, as are the gigantic empanadas. If you love oysters, the crew at La Boîte Aux Huîtres is incredibly kind and knowledgeable.
  • Tips: Pace yourself as you eat your way through. Try fresh gooseberries from the fruit sellers if you’ve never had them. Stroll around to check out all the colorful vegetables, and keep your ears out for the occasional street musicians!

4. Pho Tay Ho (Vietnamese; Lunch/Dinner)

  • Menu: Pho Tay Ho Menu
  • Reservations: No.
  • Try: The raw beef salad (bo tai chanh), the pho, any of the gigantic rice vermicelli platters.
  • Tips: Expect a line here. The food is absolutely delicious and portions are HUGE, so come hungry. Seriously the best Vietnamese I’ve had outside of Vietnam.
  • Read my Yelp review here.
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Rice Vermicelli Platter | Pho Tay Ho | Montreal, CA

5. La Panthère Verte (Vegan; Lunch/Dinner/Dessert)

  • Menu: La Panthère Verte Menu
  • Reservations: No.
  • Try: Traditional falafel sandwich.
  • Tips: I’m one of those people who swears by meat and needs it for almost every single meal. La Panthère Verte – The Green Panther in English – is one of those places that make it possible for me to enjoy a meatless meal. The food is also local, and the restaurants (multiple locations) are designed to be sustainable, so check out your surroundings!

 

On My Roarin’ Twenties

Thoughts

I saw the musical Cats on Broadway a couple of weeks ago with my mom and my sister in New York City. I’d seen a version of the musical before when my high school put on a production and was pretty familiar with the songs, but when I watched Cats this time – a show I had previously thought of as a series of fun dancing cats in cool (but also kind of creepy) costumes – I felt pretty moved and even got goosebumps (and maybe shed some tears).

The musical’s most well-known song is a piece called “Memory,” sung by a sad old has-been reject cat. I’m usually one to listen to melodies of songs more than the lyrics, but I actually paid attention to the words this time and realized how incredibly haunting and beautiful they were. In fact, “Memory” was one of several acts in the show when older cats reminisced about their younger days – glory days, if you will – and it really made me think about my own life.

I often fail to remember this, but I know that as a mid-twenties young professional, I’m currently living some of the best years of my life. My responsibilities are minimal: I have only myself to support, and I don’t even have home or car payments to worry about. I’m working (yes, I’m working now – update on that later!) in an incredible city that I wanted to be in, with my earnings free to be used for food, travel, and all the other pleasures life has to offer (after paying taxes and rent, of course). My long-term boyfriend and I are looking for our first apartment together, ready to start the next chapter of our lives as we finally end the long-distance portion of our relationship.

Best of all, I’m young enough in my career and my life where I have some experience – but I have so much more ahead of me. This means that the opportunities are still endless; there’s so much I can and want to learn; I can try, and fail, because I have the flexibility right now to do so. I love this about being in my mid-twenties: I love having that chance to work for what I want to achieve later on. I know that I may not have this luxury of time later on; I may not have the room for failure when I have a family to support; I may not have the freedom to take spontaneous travel breaks when I want them. I know that I’m in my personal Roaring Twenties right now, but I also know that it doesn’t stay this way forever.

There was something tragic about the way those cats on Broadway sang about their young selves: the pride with which they sang of their glory days were marred by hints of bitterness at realizing those days were over. It’s terrifying to wonder what it’s going to be like when we’re old: if we’ll feel anything like those cats, whether we’ll be badly wishing to relive those glory days again. We’ve all heard it from our grandmas and grandpas: “When I was your age…” But what we often forget is that someday, that will be us.

I know I can’t fight getting old: it’s just how life goes, and I also know that with age come other experiences that are amazing in their own ways. While watching the cats reminisce did make me fearful of getting older, it also spurred me to put in a greater effort to treasure each life chapter as it is. I will only get to live my twenties once, and so I want to make the most of this time. I want to work my brain to build greater skill sets and to learn new things from people who are better than me. I want to work my body to be in good shape while I still have the metabolism of a relative youth on my side. I want to work my heart to spend time with those I love most, and to contribute meaningfully to society.

I’m excited to wrap up this year with these thoughts in mind. I will only get to live my twenties once – and I’m going to make damn sure that I live them to the fullest.

Eat This in Philadelphia

Eat This, Philadelphia

If you’re a first time visitor, make sure to check out Eat This: An Introduction.

I spent my college years in Philadelphia, and while I didn’t get out of my college bubble as often as I should have, I do have my favorite food spots in the city. In fact, Philly is one of my favorite food cities in America: it boasts awesome flavors for reasonable prices, unlike some of its other neighbors on the East Coast. I miss Philly and its food dearly. As always, feel free to comment if you have any questions!

1. Primo Hoagies (Hoagies aka Sandwiches; Lunch/Dinner)

  • Menu: Primo Hoagies Menu
  • Reservations: No – and some locations don’t even have seating, so you might need to plan for takeout.
  • Try: Any of The Diablos, especially the AuDiablo.
  • Tips: Sandwiches are a pretty hefty portion, so consider getting the smaller size if you’re not a huge eater! Napkins come in handy, since taking those big bites can get messy.

2.  Noord (Northern European; Brunch/Dinner)

  • Menu: Noord Menu
  • Reservations: Yes.
  • Try: The mustard soup for an appetizer, and the rabbit confit for an entree. Also, if they have it, the incredible chocolate bread pudding for dessert.
  • Tips: The bread with warm butter and roasted garlic is so delicious. Try not to fill up on that alone, though, because the rest of the food here is great. Fun spot for a date night!
  • Read my Yelp review here.
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Chocolate Bread Pudding | Noord | Philadelphia, PA

3. Philly Flavors (Ice Cream/Italian Ice; Snacks/Dessert)

  • Menu: Philly Flavors Menu
  • Reservations: Nope, grab and go!
  • Try: The Slammers, which is a blend of ice cream AND Italian ice (my personal favorite is the honeydew).
  • Tips: Philly Flavors is a must during the summer. They have so many different flavors of ice cream and Italian ice – don’t be afraid to ask for a sample!

4. Pietro’s (Italian; Brunch/Lunch/Dinner)

  • Menu: Pietro’s Dinner Menu (For other menus, click here).
  • Reservations: Yes – although I’d say you only need them during super busy times like weekend dinners. Otherwise, the space is pretty big!
  • Try: Rigatoni alla Vodka (lunch/dinner); either of the brunch pizzas.
  • Tips: Pietro’s allows for you to order pasta in individual and family sizes, so this is a fun place to come with a big group for birthdays or special occasions!
  • Read my Yelp review here.

5. Reading Terminal Market (Market; Lunch/Dinner/Dessert)

  • Menu: List of Merchants (There are so many places in the market to choose from…)
  • Reservations: No – walk around and follow the smells while keeping an eye out for any seats that open up.
  • Try: The incredibly fluffy pancakes at the Dutch Eating Place (their apple dumpling is also to die for). I’ve tasted a fraction of what the entire market has to offer, though, so really…just follow your nose.
  • Tips: As you can probably tell, this is a huge market with tons of food options inside (sorry it’s kind of cheating to list this as a “restaurant). Reading Terminal is almost always crowded, but especially so on the weekends, so be ready to stand in long lines and to fight for your seats!

Grocery Shopping: Weekly Circulars

Day-to-Day, Money

I remember being so excited, as a kid, to check the mailbox every day after I came home from school. There usually wasn’t much mail for me, of course, but I liked picking up the bundle of advertisements, bills, and pre-approved credit cards, hoping that maybe one day there’d be something addressed to me. As I grew older, I did receive more mail – but I continued to ignore the weekly grocery ads that appeared in our mailbox.

When I started my post-college life in New York City, I found the groceries to be ridiculously expensive. Sure, I could go to Trader Joe’s once in a while – but the average price of food in the city was shocking to me. Luckily, my office in Long Island City had a nearby grocery store called Key Food (a chain throughout the boroughs), and I started to make a habit of checking out the weekly circular that it posted on its website. I’d type in my zip code to locate my nearest grocery shop, then browse through to see what sale items I wanted to buy from that week.

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Key Food Circular (via Key Food Website)

There are three reasons I really like using weekly circulars or ads to guide my grocery shopping:

  1. It (obviously) saves money. The items listed on the circular are on sale for that week(s), so if some of those items were once you’d usually buy anyway – especially those pantry goods like spaghetti or canned tuna – this is an awesome time to stock up and to save yourself some money for later on.
  2. It inspires my cooking menu for the week. I like to pick out foods from the circular and use them to decide what to cook. If I see, for example, that ricotta cheese is on sale, then it’s more likely than not that lasagna is somewhere in our near-future (this is always a good thing, because I love lasagna). Sometimes, I also use it to try out foods that I usually don’t buy – I’ll try out a different veggie like brussel sprouts or maybe a new type of yogurt I’ve never had.
  3. It helps me to create (and stick to) a shopping list. When browsing the circular, I create a mental list (and a physical list, when I’m not lazy) of what it is that I want to buy when I go grocery shopping. As they say, it’s best to create a list before you go shopping so that you don’t go crazy and impulse-buy everything – using the circular is a great way to build up your shopping list while saving money at the same time.

As a final, added bonus, using the weekly circular on a regular basis makes it fun for me to get the mail again. It’s like I’m getting mail that I can use, consistently every week, without even having to ask for it. After all, it may not be addressed to me…but I’m certainly going to use it!

On Opinions

Thoughts

It’s already Thanksgiving 2016, which is unbelievable. I know we all say this every winter, but the year has seriously blown by. The holidays are here once again, and as per tradition, we stop to think about those things that we’re thankful for: family, friends, and loved ones. Our homes, our jobs, our food on the table. The world we live in today, with the internet, with cell phones, with planes that make traveling easier than ever.

As I think about this year, I’m also thankful for one more thing in my life: opinions, both mine and those of people around me. Opinions, and the freedom to express them.

I used to have this shirt when I was in 7th grade that said, “I’m not opinionated. I’m just always right.” It had this cute monkey on it and my preteen-self was proud to display her “sassy” attitude. My now-self, of course, can’t stop cringing at this memory – but it certainly reminds me how much I valued my own opinions, even when I was too young to have thoughts about more substantive topics.

It’s been more than a decade since my preteen years, and this has been an interesting year to say the least. I spent the first half of this year in Hong Kong and the second half in Chicago, with trips to other cities sprinkled throughout. A few key events in 2016 really provoked me to think about opinions:

  • The “Fishball Revolution” in Hong Kong. In February, the streets of Mongkok experienced chaos as underlying tension between Hong Kongers and mainland China continued to bubble over. I heard anti-Chinese opinions around me all the time, and I was uncomfortable with the overt disdain the HKers held for Mainlanders. I had just spent an awesome 9 months living in Shanghai, and I loved my Chinese friends and coworkers. I also deeply love my extended family – nearly all of whom live in Mainland China – and my parents are from there as well. Despite feeling personally offended by anti-China opinions, I felt subjected to them more openly because people considered me “American,” not Chinese. I halfheartedly tried to defend my Mainland family and friends, but I ultimately gave up and kept quiet instead.
  • The passing of the King of Thailand. I visited Thailand for the first time in March of 2016, prior to the late King’s passing. I feel extremely lucky to have seen firsthand the reverence and love the people of Thailand have for the late King, to the extent where it was punishable by law to speak of him in a negative manner. I didn’t know enough about the King to speak of him at all, much less negatively, so this wasn’t a concern for me. Regardless, it was fascinating to learn about a society that so loved its Monarch that a pervasive opinion was decreed to be the norm (although the decree itself is controversial). Now that the King has passed away, I have no idea how the Thai people are feeling about this law. All I know is that I’d never before spent time in a country where it was literally illegal to have a negative opinion about its Monarch.
  • The 2016 U.S. Presidential Election. There’s no way I could leave the election out on a post about opinions in 2016. One of the things I did this election cycle was click on comments and articles shared by Trump-supporters on my Facebook newsfeed. Given my newsfeed was pervasively pro-Bernie and later pro-Hillary, it was interesting and quite honestly refreshing to learn about opinions from “the other side” – even if I disagreed. My brain ping ponged between arguments from both parties, and as a result I was left with a lot of confusion. One thing that stood out to me was how emotional and personal all the opinions were regarding this election – Facebook became a scary place full of attacks and anger, a place filled with arguments between friends and strangers alike.

To be honest, all of these events have made me think twice about sharing my own opinion. It’s made me less confident in my own thoughts, and the strength of the dissonance between parties has driven me to shy away from forming an opinion at all, cowardly as that may be. In retrospect, I’m so aware of how blessed I am to have lived in places where, even in sharing my opinions, the only things at stake were my personal feelings. I’ve never had to fear being jailed for my thoughts, and my cop-out avoidance of forming a real opinion is an insult to those who are persecuted for expressing their beliefs.

In a year where I’ve seen so many different opinions, I’m thankful for all of them. For the ones that are the same as mine, and for ones that are different. For the people who challenge me to try and think another way. For the rights I have today to express my thoughts and feelings, even if I’m too scared to. I want to try and be thankful to have arguments about different opinions, because there are people around the world who can’t openly have these arguments. I hope that I stop taking these rights for granted, and start recognizing how privileged I am to live in one of the most progressive societies in the world.

I’m thankful this year for opinions, and the freedom I have to express them.

Eat This in New York City (Manhattan)

Eat This, New York

If you’re a first time visitor, make sure to check out Eat This: An Introduction.

I spent my first two years of post-college life in the Big Apple, and recently went back for a quick visit. Aside from wandering my lovely old neighborhood of Long Island City and enjoying the Cats on Broadway, we wanted to make sure to eat some of the great food Manhattan has to offer – but it was so hard to choose. There’s pretty much no way to keep the list to five here, but I have to. As always, feel free to comment if you have any questions!

1. The Halal Guys (Food Truck/Mediterranean; Lunch/Dinner)

  • Menu: The Halal Guys Menu
  • Reservations: Nah – this place started out as a food truck!
  • Try: The Chicken and Gyro combo platter.
  • Tips: That red hot sauce is seriously no joke. I say this as someone who freaking loves spicy food – go easy on it, because it could easily ruin the rest of your meal if you go overboard.

2. The Meatball Shop (Meatballs/Italian/American; Lunch/Dinner)

  • Menu: The Meatball Shop Menu
  • Reservations: Nope – be prepared to wait at prime times!
  • Try: The Kitchen Sink. And make sure to leave room for a giant ice cream sandwich at the end!
  • Tips: See above re: amazing ice cream sandwiches. There are so many different ways you can have your meatballs – just mark what you want on the dry-erase laminated menus on the table.
  • Read my Yelp review here.

3. Artichoke Pizza (Pizza; Lunch/Dinner)

  • Menu: Artichoke Pizza Menu
  • Reservations: Nah. Grab your slice, eat and go!
  • Try: The Artichoke Pizza, obviously.
  • Tips: Slices are huge, so if you’re not a big eater you may be better off sharing!
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Artichoke Pizza | Artichoke Pizza | New York, NY

4. BCD Tofu House (Korean; Lunch/Dinner)

  • Menu: BCD Tofu House Menu
  • Reservations: No. Oh New York. Yes, there are lines.
  • Try: Soon Tofu, Pajeon, any of the meats
  • Tips: The banchan (side dishes) are free refill aside from the fried fish, so eat away! Be sure to crack in the raw egg while the soup is still bubbling hot.

5. Two Little Red Hens (Bakery; Breakfast/Coffee/Dessert)

  • Menu: Two Little Red Hens Menu
  • Reservations: Nah – just a cute little bakery, with a couple tables for coffee-goers.
  • Try: Coffee Cake, Key Lime Pie Cupcake, Cheesecake.
  • Tips: Lines form here at all times of day and the best bakery items can run out, so try to go on the earlier side if you can!

Eat This in Boulder

Boulder, Eat This

If you’re a first time visitor, make sure to check out Eat This: An Introduction.

My mom and I visited Boulder on a four-day trip, so my experience in the city is really limited. That being said, we loved all that Boulder had to offer – from the gorgeous scenery to the kind residents, the city gave us such a positive vibe with awesome food to boot. As always, feel free to comment if you have any questions!

1. The Mediterranean Restaurant (Tapas, Mediterranean; Lunch/Dinner)

  • Menu: The Med Menu (This is the tapas menu – click around for lunch/dinner!)
  • Reservations: Yes.
  • Try: The tapas, especially the tuna tartare, smoked trout, and bacon-wrapped dates.
  • Tips: This restaurant is affectionately called The Med. Tapas are only available during happy hour from 3-6:30PM, so try and visit in that time frame!
  • Read my Yelp review here.

2.  Mountain Sun Pub & Brewery (American; Lunch/Dinner)

  • Menu: Mountain Sun Pub Menu
  • Reservations: No.
  • Try: The Date Night Burger. Fries. Also, nachos – toppings in between every layer, unlike some places where only the top chips get the love.
  • Tips: The servers are awesome and great about giving you beers to sample if you’re not sure which one to order! It does get a bit crowded, so try to avoid peak hours.
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The Date Night Burger | Mountain Sun Pub | Boulder, CO

3. The Buff (New American; Breakfast/Brunch/Lunch)

  • Menu: The Buff Menu
  • Reservations: No. Let’s be real, brunch places never take reservations.
  • Try: The Olé Skillet.
  • Tips: A lot of their menu items come with either queso or pork green chili. No need to choose – just get both! Portions are pretty big here.

4. Snooze (New American; Breakfast/Brunch/Lunch)

  • Menu: Snooze (Colorado) Menu
  • Reservations: No. Ditto The Buff above this.
  • Try: Chili Verde Benny, Benny Duo
  • Tips: Snooze has great options for people who just want to try everything: the Benny Duo lets you pick two different types of eggs benedict from their menu, while the Pancake Flight allows you to choose any three pancakes! Be warned that the Pancake Flight is on the sweeter side and isn’t huge – for a big, savory eater like me, it wasn’t enough by itself!

5. Boulder Baked (Sweets/Bakeries; Lunch/Dinner/Dessert)

  • Menu: Boulder Baked Menu (This is the partial dessert menu – click around for others!)
  • Reservations: No.
  • Try: The wonderfully warm cookies – there are so many to choose from. Also loved the lemon cupcake and the strawberry shortcake cupcake.
  • Tips: The cookies are baked on the spot, so be prepared to wait 10-15 minutes!

 

Boracay 1-Day Itinerary: White Beach Day

Boracay

Walking: Low || Good For: Families || Price Range: $

Breakfast: Calamansi Muffin (and coffee, of course). Whether you’re staying at Station 1, Station 2, or Station 3, you’re probably only a few minutes away from the beach. Grab a bite to go at Real Coffee & Tea Cafe, famous for their calamansi muffins (an orange-like citrus), and maybe some coffee if you need it. These sometimes run out later in the day, so best to go early!

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Morning: Beach lounging. You’re on the whitest of white beaches, with the bluest of blue water. Need I say more?

Lunch: D’Talipapa Market. Once you drag yourself away from the towel in search of food, head on over to this seafood market. Luckily for you, it’s also near Station 2 and there are signs everywhere pointing to it. Here, you can purchase some fresh, huge seafood – but beware this can easily become an overwhelming experience, particularly if you’re not familiar with Asian food markets. A lot of the stalls sell similar items, so make sure you walk around and bargain for the best price. Once you’ve chosen your goods, take them to any of the local restaurants nearby – they’ll weigh your food and cook it for you on the spot!

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Afternoon: More beach lounging. I mean, why else did we come to Boracay? Just kidding. In all seriousness, though, enjoy the white sands and clear water while they still last – because according to locals, increased tourism has sadly been slowly destroying the once pristine beaches. Random tip: beware of taking photos of the “Boracay” sandcastles, like below:

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Right after I took this photo, I was ambushed by a small child demanding that I pay him 10 pesos for taking the photo because he had worked hard to build the sandcastle. 10 pesos isn’t a big deal, but just be warned that the kids will be hovering nearby demanding payment for your snapping a simple photo.

 

Late Afternoon: Milkshake break! Thankfully the sun sets late in Boracay, which means you’ll have plenty of time in the late afternoon to go and grab a fruit milkshake from Jonah’s Fruit Shake and Snack Bar. The shakes come in plastic water bottles with lids on them. The watermelon is great, as is the mango – or any combination involving the two. There’s an extensive menu for the shakes, so order one to go and get ready to watch the sunset back on the beach!

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Dinner: Tapas at Dos Mestizos. You might want to head over to Dos Mestizos on the earlier side, as it gets pretty crowded – we had to put our name down and come back nearly an hour and a half later. Enjoy different tapas dishes such as octopus, croquettes, or chorizo and enjoy a few drinks as you wind down your White Beach day in Boracay. Life is tough, isn’t it?

 

Website: The Flight Deal

airfare

Sometimes on days when I feel whimsical and spontaneous (and, let’s be honest, also on days when I’m just bored), I head over to check out The Flight Deal. Honestly, I only use one part of the website: the first tab, “Flight Deals.” But that’s really all I need for this to be one of my favorite airfare-finding websites!

To me, there are three advantages of The Flight Deal:

  1. You can filter by the city you’re based in (or looking to fly out of);
  2. You might consider cities you hadn’t necessarily thought of going to;
  3. You will find awesome deals on flights (obviously).

Now, this website is clearly different from your typical flight-searching websites: you don’t search by the date and place you want to go – so if you’re looking to book flights for specific events or holidays, this probably isn’t the site you want to use.

If, however, you’re thinking about where to vacation next year and don’t really have anywhere specific in mind, The Flight Deal is a perfect website to give you some ideas. To start all you do is select the city you’ll be flying out of:

airfare_theflightdeal

I’m based in Chicago, so I usually click “Chicago” to check out all the airfare deals that leave out of Chicago.

Once you’ve selected the page for your city, you’ll see a list of flights and prices, as well as the dates they were posted. Be warned that most of these deals are pretty fleeting – they’ll usually last maybe a couple of days. Clicking into the specific flight will give you details on how to book: more often than not, you have to go to the airline’s website or search on ITA Matrix (more on that later) to get the flight you want.

Summary: If you have flexible dates and flexible location, The Flight Deal is an awesome way to find great savings on airfare, both domestic and international!