Adventures with Ny

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Tips to Get Over a Breakup

Breakups are always hard, whether it ends harshly or you both just realize y’all are no longer compatible. It is hard. I hate breaking up with people, whether it is a boyfriend or a friend that I have had for years. But things happen and we have to move on. See the ways that I get over breakups below…

Blocking Spree: Depending on how the relationship ended, you may want to block the person and their friends and family so that you are not triggered every time you see their name or picture. It may be good to block them as you heal so that you are not tempted to stalk them which will only make you even more sad (trust me, I have been there.). If you don’t feel comfortable blocking them, I suggest using those good ol’ social media settings that allow y’all to still be friends but without seeing what is on each others pages unless you directly go to their page. Whatever you have to do to protect your peace, do that!

Write a Letter: Closure really isn’t necessary and from my experience it causes more pain because you never get the answers you are looking for and end up in a spiral of needing more for the sake of “closure”. To put it bluntly, the closure was the end of the relationship and nothing else matters. But if you just feel the need to get things off of your chest because you feel heavy. I recommend writing a detailed letter. Include everything you want to tell that person in the letter and don’t hold back. Then breathe and rip it up or burn it. You don’t need to send it to them. You just need to release. Take as long as you need to write the letter and make it as long as you need it to be to get everything out. But at the end of it, get rid of it and allow that to be the closure you need.

Journal: Take time to journal daily as much as you need to. Be honest with your journal and write if you are having a bad day and what is bad about the day. Write your triggers, how, and why it made you feel that way. Write out your bad days but also note your good days as well and what was good about it. I promise you, when you heal and then you go back and look on those bad days, you’ll be so proud of yourself from overcoming it.

Tap into Your Spiritual Life: Getting closer to God or whomever you connect with spiritually is very helpful in getting over a break up especially if during that relationship you strayed away from your relationship with God. Some ways you can tap back in is by taking a few moments throughout the day to talk to Him and tell Him how you are feeling and what it is that you need from Him. Ask Him to give you strength, heal your heart, and help you to believe in love again. Ask Him to heal you and prepare you for your next partner. Once you are healed, you can also ask Him for the type of partner that you need. Now is the perfect time to get into your Word, find scriptures that are centered on healing. Attend church so that you can be among other positive people and catch a sermon that speaks to your soul. I would even say go out to Sunday lunch with your favorite people from church just to connect and be around positive vibes. You can also meditate. If you are new to meditation, it’ll feel weird the first couple of times but then you’ll get use to it. I would suggest starting with a simple 5-minute meditation and then work your way up to the larger ones.

Do Things You Enjoy: A lot of times when we are in a relationship we forget the things that we enjoyed prior to getting into a relationship. Figure out those things that make you smile and do those things. For me, it was as simple as taking a nice candle lit bath infused with aromatherapy and R & B music playing in the background. I also traveled a lot to meet and connect with new people.

Hang Out with Supportive Friends & Family: Hang out with those that you can express sadness to when you are feeling low and those that will work hard to keep you upbeat and happy. You do NOT want to hang around those who bash you for the failed relationship and make you feel as though your feelings aren’t valid and just want you to “get over it”. The more you hang around those with good energy, the better you will feel and the better it is to help along your healing.

I could go on and on with different things that you can do to get over a breakup, but these are my top 6 action items to start on the journey to healing. Please take the time to properly heal before getting into another relationship and realize that just because a relationship didn’t work out doesn’t mean that you are not worthy of love and a successful relationship. There is light at the end of the tunnel.

Please comment any tips that have helped you heal during a breakup. I would love to hear about it. You can also share this blog with someone who is currently going through a breakup.

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Why this ATL Brunch Spot Became my New Favorite!

As the cold begins to settle in the state of Ohio, I will also begin to settle in and stay at home more (hibernation because I hate the cold). But, I had to make my way south just one more time before I stay up north until possibly New Years Eve.

I was really bummed that I didn’t get to visit the Trap Museum as I anticipated due to time restraints. However, I did get to enjoy a wonderful massage by Ms. Nikki at Imaginne Wellness ( https://imaginnewellness.com/).

But what I really want to talk about is the new brunch spot that was not only a hit for me, but also for my family…. It’s called, Another Broken Egg Cafe (https://anotherbrokenegg.com/location/atlanta-ga-buckhead).

Unfortunately, I didn’t take pictures of the outside or the inside. I have a thing about taking pictures when lots of people are around because I don’t want to get them in the photos. However, I can say that the location was within a plaza. It was small but big enough for tables and booths to be placed at a distance so that everyone was safe. Masks were required to dine but once seated you could take them off.

Saturday was our first day and the food was so good that I decided to go back Sunday for more food and mimosas. Saturday we ordered: the Mixed Berries Pancakes with bananas and fresh fruit and bacon on the side, the Banana Bread French Toast with eggs and bacon on the side, the Mardi Gras omelet with city grits and bacon. We also ordered two pitchers of mimosas, one Lemon Blueberry and the other Strawberry St. Germain. On Sunday, we ordered chocolate chip pancakes with yogurt and bacon, the Mardi Gras omelet with city grits and bacon, and the Cinnamon Roll French Toast with eggs and bacon. I decided to try the apple pie mimosa this day.

The Not So Good: I didn’t like that the Banana Bread French Toast came with nuts on it and the brie cheese wasn’t what I expected. This was my least favorite but I still ate it.

The Very Good: Everyone loved their meals especially the City grits and Mardi Gras omelet. I enjoyed Cinnamon Roll French Toast the most as it was sweet, but not too sweet, but certainly tasted like a cinnamon roll which I love.

The Reason I’ll Be Back: I’ll be coming back to this spot and it is now deemed my favorite because not only was there food delicious, their mimosas were also very yummy. Out of the 3 different flavors that I tried, the Lemon Blueberry was my favorite. The Strawberry St. Germain was my least favorite. It is worth it to get the pitcher even though it is $32 if you sharing. They said that it provides 4 pours, but each adult was able to get two drinks a piece out of the pitcher and that was enough to leave us in good spirits and ready for a nap! I’ll also be back because not only did they have amazing food and mimosas, their customer service was phenomenal on both days. They call you “family” and I swear, by the end of my first trip I was really feeling like I was the long lost cousin at the family reunion. They also made sure I knew of anything that may have had nuts in it due to my daughters nut allergy. Everyone was so nice and sweet including the manager. Top tier southern hospitality.

One final tidbit, is that if you are going to the one in Peachtree, you should probably make your reservation as you are getting dressed because the wait can go from 30 minutes to an hour quickly. Although I am recommending this particular location, I do plan to try out the other locations as I see they have some in Ohio.

Exploring San Francisco

I had always wanted to visit San Francisco since I was a little girl and I finally made it. Now although I had a really good time I will say that I was caught off guard by the amount of homelessness and drug use in some of the areas. However, not all areas are like that and overall I still felt safe, but I also kept myself protected as well. Here are some things that I did during my quick trip.

I stayed at the Orchard Hotel and it was absolutely beautiful however it wasn’t like most hotels that I stayed in meaning the restaurant didn’t stay open long and there really wasn’t much to do. I didn’t mind it because I had a full itinerary. If you are looking for a place that is quiet and in a safe location I would recommend staying here. The room was nice and the staff were great and very friendly. Although they don’t have a shuttle to get you to and from the airport they are happy to help you book a cab.

CoCo Noir Wine Shop & Bar is a Black owned winery located in Oakland. I was a little nervous going in because I didn’t know what to expect or the proper protocol going in. However once I came in and looked around someone greeted me and was very happy to explain to me the event going on that night and where I could sit. Everyone there was fairly nice.

A few things I was disappointed about was that I could not do a wine flight after 7pm and you have to use a credit card. A few things that I did like about it was that they gave you samples of wine and they have a lot of Black wines and spirits, they offered food, and they had a live performance which I thought did really good. The food also was not bad as I had caviar nachos that come with three caviars atop Crème Fraiche and Capers over potato chips. I enjoyed it but I probably would replace the crème fraiche with a more creamy sauce or cheese. I ended up leaving there with a bottle of wine that I was so excited to take back to Ohio with me.

Sampling wine, ended up purchasing the Druid Hills wine.

Next, I headed over to the Tonga Room and Hurricane Bar located inside the Fairfield Inn. Let me just say that if I ever go back to San Francisco I would absolutely love to stay there because it was so beautiful and seems as though there is so much to do. I felt like I was walking into a mall/museum. The staff was really nice in helping me navigate the big building to get to the restaurant. Tonga Room and Hurricane Bar makes you feel like you are in a jungle with the esthetics. The restaurant seems to turn into a party as the night progresses and I can understand why as they have an amazing band that plays different genres of music throughout the night.

Some things to note is that they do not accept reservations unless you are staying at the hotel and there is a $15 fee that’s added to all bills for the entertainment. What I loved most was the vibe of the place. My server was so nice and I learned he was from Thailand. We had a wonderful conversation about his journey and time in the states.

Grilled Miso Salmon: Kimchee Fried Rice, Pickled Carrots, Bok Choy and Ginger-scallion chili sauce

The drinks are really strong I had the Zombie 1934. I don’t know if it was because of the wine I had at the previous place or what, but all I needed was one. They also serve water in this pretty cool glass that I thought was nice. As for the food, I had the Grilled Miso Salmon and it was perfect. The only part of it that I didn’t care for was the rice as it was a little too spicy for me.

The next day I started my morning at Arsicault Bakery. It’s a very popular place and they have about three locations. I went to the one closest to my hotel which was in Union. The line as out the door but it goes pretty fast.

I got this cute pastry which was flaky and fluffy on the inside and had a little sweetness to it. I especially it all to be soft but that’s okay because it was still good although a little messy I also got the Carmel macchiato which I was expecting coffee but instead received a small shot of expresso. Clearly I didn’t know how to order and felt too overstimulated to ask questions. 😅

I sat outside because I’m comfortable in all environments and wanted to people watch. You will see homeless people and you may see them on drugs. Just a warning.

After the bakery I had to go to my breakfast reservation at this cute little place called Son & Garden (Polk Location). As soon as I walked in I felt like Barbie. It was so cute and the people were really nice. I got two drinks and I enjoyed the first drink (Cloud 9) better than the second (Into the Forest). For food I got Deep Fried French Toast. Overall the food was good, but I was sorta stuffed from the bakery and taking a few bites so I allowed it to cool and that was a mistake because when I tried to eat more it wasn’t as good because of the mascarpone cheese in it. But the presentation was super cute, not sure if it was all edible as I opted to put it to the side but I know the butterflies in my drink were so the other stuff could have been.

After eating all of that food I needed to walk it off so I thought that was the perfect time to head to Ghirardelli for the Chocolate Experience. Unfortunately I had to rush because I wanted to get some place else before they closed but I did get to walk around a bit. When I went into (insert location) it was like a chocolate lovers dream, they had many options and gift boxes to choose from. Since I like variety I choose to fill my own bag with chocolate and then I was charged based on the weight. I got a lot of chocolate for under $30 so it was worth it to me.

After Ghirardelli exploring and buying souvenirs, I headed over to Dumpling Home and although this place wasn’t in Chinatown it was still a top place and I would go back. I must warn you that you should be prepared to wait depending on your party size it can be 30mins to an hour. I waited a smooth 30minutes. But it was worth it. I ordered the Juicy Pork Bao and the Crab & Pork Xiao Long Bao because they were rated the most popular. They did not disappoint. They were so juicy and flavorful. I had a great time stuffing my face.

Once I was done with my lunch I wanted to take a nap but I had more stuff to do. I headed over to Pier 39 where I enjoyed a fun experience called Wine Tasting on the Bay where I was able to enjoy samples of wine while taking a ride towards the Golden Gate Bridge and then riding past Alcatraz island. Let me just say that it was a vibe, the music was right and both the captain and the host were fun and amazing. From talking to the host it can be a pretty packed boat but I thankfully did not experience that as it was getting close to their whine down season. It was myself and 4 other people which was super perfect for me.

After the wine tour I was nice and buzzy so I decided to explore the pier a little since there was a lot of action going on and then I went to dinner at Fog Harbor Fish House.

You can make reservations but they also note that they have plenty seating for walk-ins since it was just me I decided to just do a walk-in. I probably waited about 10 minutes before I was taken to my table.

I loved the elegant fisherman look and feel that it had, I also enjoyed where I was sitting as it was overlooking the water and it was a beautiful view once the sun began to set. I ordered the Lobster Stuffed Salmon and it was pretty good. The presentation was also wonderful. Now I will say that they give you rolls and I wasn’t really a fan of those but it was nice that they give them.

That pretty much concluded my time in San Francisco. Special note that they charge 25 cents for bags and some places have additional taxes called a San Francisco Mandate or San Francisco Employee tax and that is not including a tip. Hope this was helpful and if you have been to San Francisco or Oakland I’d love to know some of your favorite places.

Discovering Youngstown

Mural on the way to downtown Youngstown celebrating the art of music and dance.

I remember having an uncle that would always come visit from Youngstown, OH. He was the cool uncle to me, and even after his passing I still wanted to attend Youngstown State University. Unfortunately, I did not and instead went to school in other cities in Ohio. Although I never made it to Youngstown and did not have much of a reason to go, I always was curious about what was there. Thanks to my annual work conference called the Ohio CDC (Community Development Conference), I was able to finally check out the city. A bonus, was that I also was able to check out Warren, OH as I was not aware that they were so close.

I stayed at the DoubleTree Youngstown Downtown. It was a lovely hotel and it was perfect as it was truly in the heart of downtown. The rooms were spacious and clean. The front desk is on the 2nd level which can be a hassle if you have a ton of items. On the lower level is a restaurant called Bistro 1907. They have slightly weird hours which could be due to staffing at the moment. But their food was really good and so was their drinks. Wherever there is lambchops, that is where I will be and they did not disappoint.

Down the street from our hotel was several restaurants with outdoor seating which I loved. I ended at this spot due to other places being closed and this spot looking like a great place (you can’t go wrong with a wine bar!). The drinks and the food were so good and our server was so sweet and I found out that she was from England which I thought was really cool.

S’mores Coffee from Mocha House Boardman

Beautiful artwork that I had the chance to admire during my tour.

I love how they highlighted phenomenal women in history.

I was so inspired by this tour because this man came back to his city and found great ways to support the youth in his community through trips, fundraising, and entrepreneurship! Ensuring that the youth in Warren, OH have a bright future ahead of them and see the world.

Overall, I had a great trip to Youngstown, OH. I learned a lot, but I also have a great experience and appreciate the history of the city.

It’s Always a Good Time at Hen Quarter

Hen Quarter Dublin https://www.henquarterdublin.com is slowly becoming a top favorite brunch spot for me. I love the over all vibe and energy of the place. The music keeps you grooving and the staff is sure to put a smile on your face with their great energy. If you are looking for a grown, sexy, and warm place for brunch by yourself or with friends, this is the place!

This drink was by far my favorite, I believe it’s called Leave the Door Open.

The food is pretty good. So far my favorite has been the fried cauliflower bites (top left) they were fried to perfection and the sauce that comes with it is amazing and has a nice tang to it. On the top right, the French Quarter omelette which was okay but I would have liked for it to have more flavor. The bottom picture is of the lobster benedict. The lobster benedict was pretty good, I enjoyed it being served on cornbread.

I decided to add more drinks because they were just so good and strong. On the left is the peach bellini and on the right is the Lovely Day.

Overall, Hen Quarter Dublin is the place to go. Not only is the space well decorated, but it’s also in a great area where there is tons going on so after brunch you can explore. I can’t wait to go for dinner in the near future.

Let me know your favorites in the comments!

My First Blog Post

You may not know me but, I enjoy food. I am what you call a foodie. Today my cousin and I checked out an awesome little spot in Columbus, OH called Philco Bar + Diner. Because we LOVE brunch and mimosas we decided to check out the food and indulge in the $5 mimosas…They did not disappoint. We enjoyed the Nutella French Toast, sausage patties, home fries, and baked grits with scrambled eggs on top. The food was great and well seasoned and the atmosphere was inviting. It has a modern diner feel and the customer service was as great as the food and mimosas. I posted some pictures of the outing and our yummy food.

Nutella French Toast with caramelized bananas, sausage patties, baked grits with scrambled eggs on top, and mimosas.

My favorite cousin (left) and I (right).

Hope you get to check Philco Bar + Diner out for brunch if you are ever in the area.

Created January 12, 2020 10:33pm

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Last Mini Getaway Before Winter

I’m typically a big traveler, but with COVID I haven’t traveled as much. I did however decide to get out of Ohio one more time before the snow finally hits. I decided to go to Indianapolis, Indiana because it isn’t that far and I have family there. Here’s some key things I wanted to share about my trip.

I stayed at Sleep Inn & Suites And Conference Center Downtown (https://www.choicehotels.com/indiana/indianapolis/sleep-inn-hotels/in312?source=gyxt) it was a pretty nice stay. The location was perfect as I seemed to be right in the middle of everything. The room was nice although my first room had to be changed due to the toilet running. I also noticed that the walls seemed a little thin as I could hear the people in the room next to me. Due to COVID, a lot of the facility was closed, they did offer danishes and other light breakfast items to guests. During future travels to Indy, I wouldn’t mind staying at this hotel again.

Outside view of Mornings Breakfast & Brunch

For brunch I decided to visit Mornings Breakfast & Brunch (https://www.morningsbb.com/), I made a reservation but when I got there they weren’t that busy so I think it is okay to just walk in if you’d like. When I walked in, the owner and staff were very cheerful and welcoming especially when they found out that I was visiting from out of town. I identified that the culture of the staff was Hispanic, which to me I also enjoyed. I liked that they talked to me about where I was from and what brought me to town. I also liked how they took the time to tell me about the entire menu and to describe their specials.

I’ve been trying to try something new since the last few times I’ve gone out to brunch I have had french toast of some sort. The Pumpkin Waffles sounded extremely unique as I am not a huge fan of waffles and putting pumpkin in waffles sounded interesting. When my order came out I was pleasantly surprised just how fluffy and warm the waffles were. Not only that but surprisingly, the apples, glaze, and powdered sugar was a great combination.

The coffee was also tempting which I couldn’t resist ordering because they had an assortment of flavored creamers at the table (if you like flavored creamer in your coffee then you understand.). They had good coffee with good creamer and I was satisfied. I also enjoyed my apple cider mimosa. It was delicious!

What I wasn’t a fan of was the mango orange mimosa, I don’t know I guess it was too thick and I feel as though I tasted pulp. I personally hate pulp, but if you like it then go for it.

I decided I would try to connect with new people during my trip. Outside of my comfort zone, I went on https://www.meetup.com/ where I discovered a group of ladies who were going wine tasting. I decided that I would join them and I am glad that I did because I made what I believe to be long lasting connections.

What I enjoyed most about She Spot Winery is that it is Black owned first and foremost. But the owner was very welcoming and engaging during our time at her shop. I also enjoy that you can also make candles there. What’s better than making candles while drinking wine? While I won’t go into detail about her wines, because I feel it is a better experience when she does it. I will say that I enjoyed the wines and that they had a unique taste unlike other wines. My favorites were the Blackberry Blast, Strawberry Sensation, and Mango Mazing.

I enjoyed the small location because it made the experience more intimate. I also really liked that she offered small and full size bottles of wine which makes it perfect for sampling at home or even gifting. I truly enjoyed visiting this fairly new business and will certainly be back.

I had the pleasure of visiting two local hot spots while in the city, Big Dan’s & Longs Bakery. Big Dan’s is the spot you go to after the bar. It was like a chili dog on hamburger buns with all the fixings. Looked really sloppy and unappealing, but it was actually pretty decent. I probably won’t get it again, but I recommend trying to fatty food at least once. The morning before I left, I went to visit Longs Bakery as recommended by my cousin who lives in the area. He said they were the best donuts and honestly he wasn’t lying. They were so good. Try these donuts during your visit: glazed yeast, blueberry, cinnamon fried, and apple fried. I would recommend going as early as possible as it is a small building and the line will go from inside to outside quickly. But I can also say that they have a system that gets customers in and out so you aren’t waiting very long. You should also have cash as they are not accepting any cards which is a little strange as most places want you to use cards during the pandemic.

My trip was great despite places closing early due to the pandemic. It was a great solo trip to end the year and I cannot wait to go back and visit some places and reconnect with the women that I met over the weekend. Before closing out, I wanted to show off this beautiful sunset that I caught while in the city. It was absolutely breath taking.

4 Ways I Prepare for the Holidays

The holidays are quickly approaching and you don’t want to be one of those people that wake up one morning and realize that you have only a day to prepare and get things together. That’s why I am here with a few tips on how I get prepared for the holidays, check them out!

1. Rack Rewards: If you have good reward programs you can use your points to redeem money and gift cards which saves you on spending your own cash for a gift. I use gas, credit, and hotel reward points to purchase gifts.

Keep in mind that you don’t want to wait until the last minute to redeem them as some may take longer to receive than others. I suggest redeeming them during the first and second week of December to ensure they come in time.

2. Create Lists: I absolutely love a good list because it helps me to stay organized and focused. As the holiday approaches I enjoy making a list to determine who I’m inviting, who I’m getting gifts for or sending holiday cards out to, and creating a grocery list and who’s bringing what list.

I know, those are a lot of different lists but it helps you stay organized and ensures that you don’t forget anything or anyone. Try it on your phone, notepad, or do a print off.

3. Mention in Advance: Thanksgiving and Christmas are holidays that people are use to me planning, especially my annual Christmas Party. When I am planning I usually let people know about 4 months in advance and sometimes 6 as I know that is typically a busy time for people and I want them to keep me in mind when they make their plans.

I usually send a Save the Date well in advance, then a month before I send an official invite and any expectations or themes for the party to give people enough time, and two weeks later I get my final count. The week of I’m sending the address and a friendly and excited reminder.

Now maybe you don’t want to do that many check ins but for my crew and family they need it as they are just as busy as I am. So tailor it to what will work for you.

4. Make Your Life Easier: One of the things I recently started doing is hiring someone to do a deep clean during the holidays. It truly makes my life easier as I am a busy mom and just don’t have the time during the holidays to always clean everything. If you budget for it, it’ll feel like less of a financial burden.

Well, these are all the tips I have for now. Share which one you plan to implement this holiday season or share with me some of your tips and tricks in the comment section.

Butter Me Please!

The kiddos and I were in Dayton for the Haunted Classics, which is a soccer tournament this weekend. I went to just do my soccer mom thing over the weekend and maybe catch a few old college friends. As you all know, I love me some brunch and so finding a brunch spot in Dayton was very important.

Dayton didn’t have a ton of options with brunch spots that met my needs but there were a few that I liked. There were some that I couldn’t try because they aren’t having brunch currently due to Covid, or couldn’t accommodate. However, I did finally decide to try a spot called Butter Cafe (https://buttercafedayton.com/). They are currently not taking reservations online and seating is on a first come, first serve arrangement. Our party of 8 had an initial 30 minute wait but then waited an additional 15 minutes for them to properly clean the tables and seat us accordingly. I did not take any photos of the outside due to me not liking to get strangers in my photos. But I can say it looks nice and small on the outside and that is exactly what it is in the inside.

Lavender mimosa — Pancakes with chocolate chips

Pros: The food was presented well and tasted just as good. I think the potatoes were a big hit with people in my group who had them. I like how they were able to put chocolate chips on pancakes for my daughter as chocolate chip pancakes are her fav. Although the Chai Tea French Toast looked rather basic, it was actually really good. It consisted of four pieces of chai-infused french toast, layered with mascarpone cheese. Another thing that I enjoyed was the mimosas, our waiter gave us so many options it was almost overwhelming. The cranberry, watermelon cucumber, and apple cider mimosas were very tasty and left a nice little buzz.

Cons: They really don’t have proper tabling to seat a large party. The tables were not the same with one being slightly smaller than the other. However, I do appreciate them accommodating our party of 8 the best that they could. Also, the Lavender mimosa is pretty disgusting and I wouldn’t recommend as it tastes like cough syrup to me.

Our server Calista was super awesome and even took a bomb group photo for us. She was so sweet and full of energy which I loved and that made the experience even better. I also love how she broke down the menu and what they had to offer for their mimosas (it was like 35 different flavors). lol Anyways, this spot is highly recommended and I will be back. Also, I highly recommend staying at Drury Inn if you are looking for a hotel with everything open and a bomb Customer Reception.

Peoria Experience

So last year while scrolling through good ol’ Facebook, I came across this bowling alley that looked super cool because it had a underwater theme to it. I was determined to take my family and so I decided to put it on my vision board for the 2020 year. We decided we would go for my son’s birthday. It was suppose to be a huge family little getaway but due to the pandemic and the many uncertainties, we ended up changing some things. However, we did end up staying in Peoria for the weekend and I’d like to share my experience. Take a look!

A few photos of the AirBnb that accommodated our family for the weekend.

I booked a home through Airbnb (https://www.airbnb.com/), which is something I always do if it is more than just my children and I traveling. If other adults are traveling, the airbnb is usally cheaper than what you’d pay for a hotel and you don’t have to worry about being far away from your travel buddies. I must say that this airbnb exceeded my expectations and the photos provided still didn’t highlight how great of a house this was. It had 4 bedrooms, 4 baths, 2 living rooms and a phenomenal kitchen. The home had technology upgrades, that took some getting use to for me but were great. My favorite part of the home was the furnished balcony and the kitchen with the wine chiller located within the kitchen island.

We arrived late Friday night so we decided to order in. For whatever reason, everything was considered “too far” from the house even if it was only 15 minutes away. I wanted to try a deep dish pizza but because of the issues with getting Uber Eats to deliver, we just decided to pick up a pizza anywhere that we could. I placed an order with Bacci Pizza in Peoria that included two pizzas and a side of wings. The pizza was okay but I would have preferred better crust. I’d also say, that if it says your order will be ready in 15 to 30 minutes, go for the 30 minutes and then add 20 to 30 minutes on to that. I found out the hard way.

Moving on to Saturday, we started the day with breakfast at Childers Eatery (https://www.childerseatery.com/) located on University street. The restaurant was nice, it isn’t too big but it was still able to accommodate our party of 9. I enjoyed that it was kid friendly in atmosphere and with menu choices. Our server was very nice and helpful for our first visit there.

The menu has a lot of good choices. There were so many items that I wanted to try.

I decided to go with the Tropikale fresh squeezed juice, coffee, and s’mores. My daughter had a cute bear pancake and my son had the chicken and waffles. My cousin had french toast with fresh strawberries, grits, and eggs. Everything was so delicious. We wanted to go back for breakfast on our last morning but didn’t make it. However, I would absolutely eat there again.

Me trying to get a good photo of the bridge and water while driving. (I know, bad me.)

Uncle Buck’s Fishbowl & Grill bowling alley and Bass Pro Shop

Pulling up you would have thought you were going to an amusement park. The children and I were so in awe of the buildings and the little items around as we drove.

Due to Covid, masks are required. You get checked in at the front desk and then they tell you which lane is yours. You have to write everyone’s name, shoe size, and form which was a little tedious. Once you give them this information they enter it into the system so that the names come up when you are ready to play automatically. Once at your lane, someone comes over to give you a menu and the bartender comes over to take your drink and food order. I had the gator bites and a fishbowl which had several different liquors. The gator bites were well seasoned and fresh. My drink had more of a juice taste than what I would have liked but after a few sips and a couple stirs, I could taste the alcohol. We also took advantage of the arcade that they had which the kids may have loved more than bowling. The arcade had plenty of games and activities for both adults and children. The children were also able to get prizes at the end.

Overall, I enjoyed my time at Uncle Buck’s Fishbowl & Grill (https://www.unclebucksfishbowlandgrill.com/). I imagined it to have a little more of the effects of being under the water such as a water moving under the lanes or sharks moving along the wall. However, we still enjoyed the environment because it was different from what we have back home in Ohio. One thing I didn’t like was them not having a drink menu and me having to go where the front desk was located and taking a photo with my phone of the drink menu in order to place an order. I just thought that was a little extra. I would still recommend that people at least check the place out during a family vacation or getaway. For the most part, I enjoyed my time in Peoria, IL and would like to go back to check out some other places.

Until next time…