Planning a Cali Vaca
I’m going to San Francisco! In June!
I’ve never been farther west than Texas, not including a quick stop in Seattle when my fam went to Canada a LONG time ago. So exciting!
So now I need to start budgeting accordingly: I’m thinking I’ll set up a separate ING and deposit either a set amount each pay period or leftovers from fun accounts. Still deciding. I know some of my readers are from the West Coast, so any advice is appreciated!
Filed under travel | Comments (7)I Heart Boston.
Here in Chicagoland, I have a good job and a place to live rent-free. My family lives here. I attend a good church and get to teach Sunday school kids each week. This has been where I’ve lived all my life; outside of college, I’ve never called anything but Illinois home.
But.
If there ever comes a chance to move to Boston. If I ever get offered a job on the East Coast. If I could live in Boston, even with its higher rents and far-away-from-home location, I would, in a heartbeat. I love the history–everything is Colonial, with a story to it. I love the food–think Italy comes to America, along with awesome cuisines from other areas. I love the water–it’s right on the ocean, meaning great seafood, great views, great transportability to other New England locations.
But now for a more important, more likely if: If you ever visit Boston on a budget (like I did), here’s what you need to know:
1) Buy a Charlie Ticket.
The subway system is called the T, and passes are called Charlie Tickets. I bought a 7-day pass for $15 and rode the heck out of that rail system. In and around Boston Common, to and from Harvard, a few blocks here, a few blocks there.
2) Wear comfortable shoes.
My good ol’ Adidas gym shoes were my choice all week. Usually with jeans and tank tops. Boston was hot–very hot, and we walked mile after mile of its historic neighborhoods. On this note, you really should visit the Bunker Hill obelisk, if just to say you did. Climb all 297 of its stairs; your legs will tremble by the time you get back down, but it’s worth it.
3) Eat your heart out in the North End.
This is Italy as I remember it: incredible restaurants with great atmosphere, adorable gelaterias, line-around-the-corner bakeries. I recommend Flour, not in the North End, but over the bridge and in the midst of a crazy loftish area. But all the locals love Mike’s Pastry in the North End. One out of every five people I saw carried a take-out box from it. For the best pizza you’ve had in your life, hit up the Cafe Pompeii. They don’t advertise the pizza outside, but they make it. Oh, do they make it.
4) Walk through Charleston.
We’re back to the ifs again. If money were no object, I would live in this neighborhood. Refined, classy, clean: every street is gorgeous.
5) Visit Faneuil Hall.
Rachael Ray calls this “food hall,” and I get her point. Tons of vendors, in one long hallway: seafood, Greek, Indian, ice cream, bakeries, chowder. Go. Trust me.
6) Take the T to Cambridge.
I’m warning you now: if you’re still in school, visiting Harvard is want to give you school-envy. Nonetheless, I loved walking through campus on its opening weekend, seeing new freshman move in and wander around with nervous parents. I bought a crimson tee, of course, for about $20. Ah, it’s vacation, right?
7) Make the Most of Credit Card Rewards.
As you know, I spent virtually nothing on this trip, outside of food/souvenirs. Three nights in three different Boston hotels and round-trip airfare cost $90, paid through a side job I do.
why I love rewards cards or, I’m going to Boston!
My brother and I were talking last week about going somewhere for Labor Day: New York City, San Francisco, Providence or maybe Boston. We kept talking about it, throwing out ideas of what we could do in each place–what we wanted to see or visit or, mainly, eat. Finally we just decided: we’re going to Boston. I have always wanted to go to New England, but the closest I’ve gotten was Pennsylvania or New York City.
After we’d chosen the location, we began discussing pricing. There’d be the flight, easily a few hundred each. Then the hotel accommodations (unless we opted for a hostel–not as exciting in America as in Europe, I think; or a B&B–not exactly a sibling kind of trip). On top of those expenses, we’d have to pay for food and transportation within the city and not to mention shopping.
Then Brother and Dad got talking. They share a credit card–just the two of them, for a variety of reasons–that has been earning points for quite a while. Every now and then they’ve checked it, when Dad wanted to buy a new camera, for example, but have never used any of the points. Just for kicks, Brother checked flight options.
Chicago to Boston, round-trip for both of us: no cost. Yeah for rewards points! On top of which, we’ll get a free hotel night, at a great place in a ritzy neighborhood.
As if it couldn’t get better, my gracious father offered his points from another card. He has no plans to use them, and he’s happy to let us: another almost-free hotel night, at a place conveniently right by the airport.
If you’re keeping track, this means we will pay $40/each for the first hotel night, regular price for the second and nothing for the flight and third hotel. Let’s say the second night costs $200 ($100/each), which I don’t expect it to. That means I’d be paying $140 for a great weekend, plus food/shopping/subways. That’s the kind of vacation I like!
Filed under thrifty tips, travel | Comments (5)$10 Saturday
In Chicago, the 4th of July means the Taste. Few summer things are as fun or as memorable as eating dozens of helpings of Chicago’s finest. If you go, you must try the rainbow cone and delicious Connie’s pizza. Yum.
I’m saving the experience for later this week, so today my brother and I planned to hit up Lincoln Park’s pizza fest, not quite the Taste, but respectable.
We got there and realized a $5 donation was encouraged just to enter. Since we didn’t know what to expect in the food available, we decided to try our own route.
I mean, really, who needs a festival in a city with thousands of restaurants? Between the two of us, we tried pizza from two places–here and here–rather large “tries,” to be honest, and chocolate and peach ice cream from a great place near Armitage. Total cost? $10/ea.
We paid nothing for parking, little for gas and had a great day in gorgeous weather. We walked to the free Lincoln Park Zoo, visited a water-lily park and checked out neighborhoods Brother is looking into for housing.
This is my idea of fun: food, walking, gorgeous weather, the city. Ah, Saturdays in Chicago.
Filed under food, restaurant reviews, travel | Comment (0)
