Category: Travel

Avocado and Buffalo Chicken Salad

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I’ve recently been craving Buffalo Chicken and summertime means salads right? So i found the best of both worlds and it was as delicious as I’d hoped. The recipe was adapted from this recipe I found on Pinterest. I decided not to add quinoa (though it would have been good with it too!) and I didn’t use quite as much hot sauce, probably 1/2 cup instead of 3/4. And to top it all off I used Organic Ranch from Trader Joe’s!

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  • 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked & shredded
  • 1/2 cup franks red hot sauce
  • 2 oz. cream cheese, softened
  • 4 cups of chopped green leaf lettuce
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 2 avocados, sliced
  • 1/3 cup sliced red onion
  • 1/2 cup cooked corn
  • Drizzle ranch dressing
  • 1/4 cup diced fresh cilantro (optional)

Review: An Evening at Fleurie, a Romantic French Restaurant in Charlottesville, Virginia

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As I have mentioned already in a previous post, Charlottesville, Virginia has some of the best food in the world. It is less than two hours from Washington, DC and offers a break from the hustle of the capital city. And last night, my friend, Carrie, and her boyfriend, John, spent their two-year anniversary sharing fine wine and delicious food at a downtown French restaurant, Fleurie.

Since it was their anniversary, Fleurie made special menus recognizing their special occasion and even had a bottle of sparking wine from the Loire Valley in France waiting for them on their candlelit table.

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At the beginning of our friendship, Carrie and I majorly bonded over our deep affection for anything related to France, and this restaurant seems to epitomize everything about Paris given its romantic tone and thoughtful ingredients and menu. This restaurant seems like the perfect pick for a special celebration.

Carrie said the ambiance were positively enchanting. The restaurant has exposed brick walls and was playing classical Parisian music softly in the background (think “La Vie en Rose”). Although I haven’t been there myself, Carrie said the food was mouthwatering and delightful. She sent me the following pictures with descriptions and it all sounds so incredible!

They were given a beet amuse-bouche and for appetizer they had soft-shell crab which was on special for the evening.

For the main entree Carrie had butter poached lobster, coral spätzle, and fava beans served with a ginger Sauternes sauce.

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John ordered the meadows pride lamb and braised lamb ravioli with fond de braisage. (This one looks soooo delicious!)

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And of course no celebration goes without dessert. Carrie and John split the chocolate souffle with vanilla bean ice cream and dark chocolate cream sauce…Yum!

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And lastly, Carrie and John were given complimentary petit fours after the meal!

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Fleurie is now at the top of my must-try restaurant list! Also, you can follow Carrie on her travel blog – https://musichanainkibera.wordpress.com/

Best Affordable Hotel and Tours for Your Spring Break Getaway to Cancun, Mexico

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By Natalie Anne ❤

My close friends and I have decided to indulge in a yearly adult Spring Break excursion to celebrate the coming of Spring. Last year was LA and this year was Cancun, Mexico- a destination I put on the table since I have been dying to travel to Mexico and see the Mayan ruins.

 

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We are all young working professionals who are on tightish budgets and wanted to get the most bang for our buck. We ended up booking a great deal for a resort through a Cyber Monday deal back in November. We got a food & drink all-inclusive, three night/four day stay at the Flamingo Cancun Resort. The resort was right on the beach and in the heart of the hotel zone. The Expedia deal also included airfare to and from Dulles in DC plus the 3-night stay for around $700 a person (there were six of us in two double bedrooms). The reviews of the hotel seemed mediocre at best, but I was just so excited to go, I didn’t really care about the hotel that much.

When we got there however, the Flamingo exceeded my expectations, especially for our cheap deal. It had multiple pools, bars, and lounging areas, plus the staff was incredibly attentive and sweet. The hotel had spa music lightly playing in the background at the pool in the center of the hotel courtyard and the entire area was kept spotless and smelled tropical and clean. The breakfast had a nice spread with an omelette bar and Mexican-inspired cuisine, but did get a bit redundant by the fourth morning we were there. The bartenders were more than happy to give you any kind of drink you wanted and were very generous on the tequila shots, which we definitely were not complaining about!

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The beach that the hotel sat on was also quiet and serene and shaded lightly by palm trees closer to the hotel. The resort had chairs and umbrellas set up on the beach for us to use, free of charge. One outside pool even offered a picturesque view of the ocean with a bar right beside it.

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We knew we wanted to do excursions, and we booked them directly through the hotel once we arrived. We arranged both of them through our hotel for $135 per person after a bit of haggling. I recommend taking a tour that includes Chichén Itzá and a cenote swim. GetYourGuide has this tour that includes multiple stops and a stop in Valladolid like we had done. Our similar tour included a stop at the magical Cenote Hubiku for a quick swim, buffet lunch, and a small tequila museum/tasting, along with a brief pause in Valladolid, a historical city in Yucatan with a beautiful cathedral. Our informative tour guide was bilingual in both English and Spanish and gave a great overview of Mayan history and culture. Although the 2.5 hour bus ride was a bit daunting, it was fun traveling outside of the tourist Cancun bubble and getting into Mexico to see the ruins and explore the area a bit more.

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Our second excursion to Isla Mujeres was canceled due to the windy weather but instead we booked one at the last minute to go to a beautiful private beach in Playa del Carmen where we went snorkeling and were served chips and beans and salsa while being serenaded by two Mexican musicians beside the stunning Maroma beach. See here for a similar tour with snorkeling and lunch!

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Overall, our trip was relaxing and Cancun was even more beautiful than I imagined. I only wish we had stayed longer to spend even more time lounging on the beach and enjoying the free drinks!

M 22(This post contains affiliate links and we will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through our links.)

Restaurant Review: Restaurant Matylda in Prague, Czech Republic

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We were starving by the time we got off our train coming from Wroclaw, Poland and finally arriving in the much-anticipated destination of Prague. It was quite a tumultuous train trip that almost resulted in us being stranded in the Czech countryside for a few hours. Luckily enough, we made it to Prague, and we all needed to stuff our faces with food and libations.

Restaurant Matylda was our savior. A strawberry daiquiri was exactly what I needed, and the Czech comfort food was impeccable. It’s interior transports you back in time with stone fireplaces and a rustic feel. We were hungry for anything and ended up ordering the Spaghetti alla Carbonara con Spinaci, Pork Robs with Honey Marinade, and a Quattro Formaggi pizza.

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We couldn’t skimp on dessert so we indulged in the Creme Brulee and Baked Banana with Whipped Cream and Chocolate Sauce.

Asian Fusion Chicken Curry Noodles

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By Natalie Anne ❤

This is probably the tastiest dish I have ever made, and I want to eat it over and over and over again.So you should make it and love it too.

I used the following ingredients from my Japan and Thailand Try the World boxes:

Akagi Soba Noodles, Massaman Red Curry Paste, Umami Ponzu Soy Sauce, Nori Seaweed Sheets

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The recipe was adapted from Table for Two (serves 3-4):

Sauce Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup of water
  • 1-2 tablespoons honey (I like it a little sweet!)
  • 1 tablespoon of (dark) brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon grated ginger

Dish Ingredients:

  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1/2 red onion
  • 1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast or chicken strips cut into pieces
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil
  • 1 egg (optional)
  • chopped cilantro
  • 2 Seaweed sheets

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  1. Boil the Soba noodles in lightly salted water for 5-6 minutes (I used the 9.5 OZ package of noodles) and drain.
  2. Mix the following sauce ingredients all together in a bowl and set aside.
  3. In a pan over medium heat add 3 cloves of minced garlic, chopped red onion, and a tablespoon of coconut oil. (Optional additions: carrots and mushrooms)
  4. After simmering for 5 minutes, I scrambled in an egg to the mixture for two minutes and then added the chopped chicken. Cook until the chicken is completely cooked through.
  5. Add the sauce mixture over everything, stir well and simmer for 4-5 minutes.
  6. Toss the Soba noodles and shredded seaweed with everything.
  7. Top with cilantro leaves (maybe even bean sprouts and/or peanuts) and enjoy!

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