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Weekend Reads: July 25, 2014

July 25, 2014 //
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Weekend Reads is a weekly series on The Curious Passport and features a round-up of travel news, features and other related links (probably related to food, fitness or the outdoors) I’ve either found around the internet or has been sent my way by friends and family.

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I snapped this pic during Fourth of July weekend; a friend and I were on our way to Santa Barbara for the day from Los Angeles and we opted for the scenic route.

  • “5 Ways to Slow Down and Enjoy Travel More,” AFAR – I think all of these suggestions are spot on. I’d add a foot note to this post that says, “Turn off your smartphone for a minute, and look up.” Unless you’re capturing some awesome Instagram photos. In that case, snap those pics and then turn your damn phone off.
  • “Pacific Island Sees Visitor Boost and Population Exodus,” Skift via Associated Press – The story of Niue is pretty extreme, and having also grown up on an island this story reminds me a bit of why some of my high school classmates (and myself) left Kauai. It, like Niue I’m sure, is a beautiful and blissful place to grow up but most careers are difficult to come by.
  • “Yeti is Like Tinder for Places,” TechCrunch – This post was shared with me from a fellow wanderluster and good friend. I’ll be keeping an eye on this app. In my opinion, the TechCrunch coverage usually means the startup has secured enough funding to catch the eye of TechCrunch, plus the concept is cool and reminds me of some of the new group tour companies aimed at curating itineraries for folks with similar interests, like The Trip Tribe and G Adventures.
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Categories Travel Tips, Weekend Reads

Passing Through: Washington D.C. by Metro

July 19, 2014 //
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I may not know what it’s like to ride the subway in other metropolitan cities, but compared to the rides I’ve had in the cities I’ve visited, namely in Los Angeles and NYC, Washington D.C. may just be one of my top mass people movers in the country.

Clean, reliable, smooth. Passengers grasp basic mass transit etiquette, like waiting for all outbound riders to exit the car before filing in, or standing on the right side of the escalator to allow folks to walk up or down the left. Riding the Metro in Los Angeles was a bit of a cultural shock when I learned that the best way to secure a seat was to fight the outgoing traffic like a salmon swimming upstream and to always check your seat before sitting down lest you soil your pants with unidentifiable liquids.

Generally, the cars are well-lit and quiet, unless you’re headed to U Street on a weekend, or post-Nationals game. In LA, expect your eardrums to be blasted by an up-and-coming hip hop artist’s mixed tape, or thrown into a seatmate’s marital issues as she broadcasts her business into her cell phone and for everyone around to hear. Also expect terribly executed and sometimes creepy pick-up lines.

D.C. Metro lines are identified by color; red, blue, orange, silver and the stops come with fun names like Foggy Bottom, Friendship Heights and Shady Grove. The trains leave and arrive when they say they will, and the damp, sometimes moldy, musty, can’t-put-your-finger-on-it-smell is much more tolerable.

What do you think about the country’s mass transit systems? Leave me a comment below.

Photo credit: Seznam.name

Photo credit: Seznam.name

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Categories Passing Through, Travel Tips

San Diego Brunch Staples

June 15, 2014 //
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Brunch is my favorite meal of the day. Granted, since I work full-time it’s usually reserved for the weekend, but if I could enjoy a leisurely mid-day meal full of sweet and savory belly-filling items and bottomless coffee, I would. Alas, I’ve resigned myself to the fact that I can make this ideal event a treat a few weekends a month, so says my schedule and my wallet. If you’ve dined with me, my tastebuds aren’t the cheapest. I am a sucker for ambiance so long as the food is on par as well.

That said, an ode to two local spots I find myself returning to every month for all of the reasons above and more:

  • Claire’s on Cedros, Solana Beach: I’ve ordered the green scrambles to the creamy benedicts and sweetened carbs (french toast, pancakes, or Claircakes, made with Cinnamon) and have never been disappointed. If I’ve got an extra fiver I’ll add a vanilla latte. On sunnier afternoons  I’ll request a table out back. The restaurant feels like a cozy cafe and is set in an intimate, eco-friendly bungalow. Everything in the place is either upcycled, repurposed or energy efficient and built to make a minimal impact on the environment. They even have electric vehicle parking stalls right out front.
  • Snooze, Hillcrest (and now Del Mar): I have to tip my hat to my best friend, a former Denver transplant for introducing me to this breakfast-only joint. As a chainlet in the Mile High City, its San Diego locations are just as busy, but I don’t mind. The complimentary coffee is strong and the wait is worth it. I usually rotate between their homemade corned beef hash or the breakfast pot pie, though they’ve also got a selection of fun pancakes (like red velvet!) and an extensive Bloody Mary menu. With the Hillcrest location’s roll-up garage windows, high ceilings and fun pod-like booths, I could loll around Snooze for hours.
Snooze

Snooze, Hillcrest.

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Categories Brunch, California, San Diego, Travel Tips
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