Out With the Old and In With the New

Wow! The last Friday of 2011. I feel like this year flew by. Someone once told me that after I graduated high school, each year would go by faster and faster. Even though I'm totally #readyfor2012, I couldn't let my previous post be the last post of 2011. I wanted to take some time to pay homage to the year we are all moving on from.

Although in some ways it was a stressful year comprised of all the "usual" suspects (i.e. personal, health, and other random worries), I've seen and done a lot of things. More than I ever imagined. At the end of each year I like to think of what I was doing last year at this time. At the end of 2010, I had just started blogging, and quickly fell in love with writing and sharing my thoughts with others.

In 2011 I have been blessed with being able to see such beautiful cities as San Francisco/Bay Area and London. London is my new favorite city BTW. I experienced the Irish Countryside in a way I never dreamed of. I witnessed Stone Hedge, Buckingham Palace, and took Bud to Disneyland for the first time. I met Rob Kardashian and ate the most amazing donuts in Los Angeles.  Might I remind you that I don't even like donuts.

As each year goes by I try to document more and more. Finally, a new digital camera for me in 2011! One lifetime is clearly not enough. I want to share my memories with friends and family forever. If this blog gives me a creative outlet to do that, then so be it!  

Lastly, I'd like to thank you all for reading and taking interest in what I have to say this year. I hope that 2012 brings as much Expedition Evans "awesomeness" as 2011 did. 

xoxo mevans

B&B Breakdown

Is anyone else #readyfor2012? Sorry, I love hashtags! Anyway - I rounded out the end of 2011 with a nice quick PA getaway. You know, one of those "I-need-to-get-out-of-here-for-a-little-bit-before-I-go-insane" kind of trips. A few months ago Groupon Getaways had an offer for a B&B in Lancaster County, PA - near Hersey Park but near-er to Amish Country. I later renamed it "Schrute Farms". A bunch of our friends were going and they kindly extended the invite, and you know I'm always up for a trip. 

This was me and Bud's first time staying at a B&B. I'm not sure what I really expected - when I think of B&B I generally think of old Victorian houses, with a porch swing, and, I don't know - lots of quilts - and for some reason teddy bears? Something kinda like this: 

Pic Courtesy of Victorianbazaar.com 

Upon arriving we met the Inn Keeper (you know, Master of the House? Keeper of the Inn? Am I the only one that finds that amusing?), who was just as bizarre as the rest of the experience. 

The accommodations were quaint, but there were random clown figurines and paintings everywhere, and it was creepy. There were even clown figurines in the bathroom and I felt like they were staring at me. I can just picture a black and white Rod Serling standing in the lobby with his hands folded saying something like "they checked in but they never checked out".

The rooms were decently clean, albeit a bit dusty and cluttered, but the accommodations allowed me to sleep a restful night's sleep at least. Our bathroom towels looked like 1500 different people had used them. On one of them I found long grey hairs stuck to it that were not mine or Bud's (after I had dried my face with it) <insert gag reflex here>. I'm gagging just thinking of it. 



Then at 5:00 am we get a knock from one of our friends - there's a gas leak and we all need to get out of our rooms.We grab our valuables and head down to the lobby. Our friends smelled the leak, and I'm sure if they wrote this portion of the post it would be much more entertaining, but sorry, you just got my side of the story folks! As we were gathered in the lobby, the local firemen, which consisted of 3 overweight middle aged men and a 12 year old, arrived and cleared the building. Now, where was the Inn Keeper during all this? Your guess is as good as mine, because after calling and practically banging down her door, she was nowhere to be found. We were able to go back up to bed around 6:00 am. 



She greeted us the next morning with "Did you all sleep well?" - to which we all muttered something under our breaths and told her the night's adventures. She immediately gave us some attitude and shrugged it off. I think I can say that all of us were thoroughly annoyed from that point on. 

Don't get me wrong - we had a great time. We loved every minute with our friends. Their company made the experience much better. We shared lots of laughs and played fun games (Monopoly and the Paper Game)! We enjoyed an Amish Buggy ride (or as we like to call it, "Teach Me How to Buggy") and I got to buy some strawberry jam. 

So, to sum up, it wasn't the worst place to stay, but not the best place to stay either. I guess it's true, if you are in good company, not much else matters. Shout to my friends that made the weekend wonderful! 


Here's some pics of our fun weekend!

Our Fun Sunday Night, I'm not sure who won though: 

An abandoned train line, AKA our view: 

The B&B

xoxo mevans

Planning Pains

So I'm trying to plan a trip to Italy. I usually devise the plans for our vacays with much ease (I'm nerdy like that anyway) - but I'm having a really hard time planning this trip. We've figured out when we want to go - but necessarily where exactly - Italy is a big country, and it's not really that cheap to get there and get around in it. I'm trying to figure out logistically how to make all this work on the budget and time frame that we have.

There are a few package deals out there, but most are for Rome, Venice, and Florence city tours. These deals aren't bad deals, just not deals that match my budget and my liking. The Trip Advisor reviews on some of these tours leave a lot to be desired. I believe the words "flea infested hotel" was found in one of the reviews. A-no-thank-you.

So if there's anyone out there that can provide me with some suggestions of at least where to start, I greatly appreciate it!

xoxo mevans

What's the deal-io: The Most Wonderful Time of the Year - for deals that is

So I've been super excited the past few days. Why, you might ask? Four words my friends: Black Friday/Cyber Monday. Now I generally do not partake in the craziness that surrounds these two days. However this year, I could not resist. I picked up a pretty stylish Coach bag on Friday (and saved 25% to boot!). Yesterday I also enjoyed 50% of my entire order from New York and Company online store, and ordered a photo book highlighting our summer trip to Cali (free shipping!).

But what I absolutely love is that this year (more than every other year it seems), that travel websites have been also offering deals on Cyber Monday. Check out Travelocity and Travelzoo. They have discounted vacation packages. I also came across these deals from Jet Blue. The deals flying out of JFK are phenomenal! Most offers are expiring by tomorrow, so if you are looking to book, jump on it! 

Happy planning! 

xoxo mevans 



 

Some Advice

I really cannot believe how quickly 2012 is upon us! Fall seems to have apparently missed the Northeast and brought winter upon us immediately. That's OK though, winter means fun things like gingerbread lattes from Starbucks, really awesome shopping deals, and of course, new trips and travel deals for 2012! Does it sound like I'm wishing 2011 away to much?

Anyways, I wanted to take today's post and give a shout out to all those traveling out there this week. Kinda random, I know, but I'm a little off this week - 2.5 day work week and all. Sorry, rambling again. 

I can only imagine what the airports are like the day before a major holiday. I've only traveled out of the country once during the Thanksgiving break. The only advice I can give, and I'm sure there are many other travel sites out there that recommend this - if you are going to travel, travel on Thanksgiving day itself. 

My JFK airport experience was most pleasant. There was like 3 people total working, and we made it through security in about 5 minutes. Yes, 5 minutes - and we were flying internationally. Enough said my friends, enough said. So if there's anyone out there that's reading this - save some time and bucks and look into traveling on Thursday instead of Wednesday! 


I heard on the news yesterday that the Tuesday before Thanksgiving is becoming the new Wednesday before Thanksgiving, so travel smart my dears! Oh, and my ultimate advice, avoid Disney this time of year at all costs. I'm not even brave enough to go during this time of year! 

Oh, and shout out to Travelocity - they give frequent updates on flights and delays at all major airports. I'm a fan y'all!

Happy travels to all! 

xoxo mevans

What's the deal-io of the week: Western Bound

It's been awhile since one of these, right?!? I know how much you all of missed them. 

I came across this little gem of a resort just last week. For any of you last minute travelers out there, these accommodations look like the perfect way to escape the Northern chill of November. You know how much I like to head out West every now and then.

The Arizona Grand Resort in Phoenix boasts all types of activities from golfing to spa treatments. From the looks of the website, the grounds are beautiful - I would even go as far to say pristine. The resort is currently offering a Thanksgiving special of $99 per night!   

I checked in with my travel buddy, Trip Advisor, and the guest reviews of the Arizona Grand are all extremely positive. What I also like about this hotel is that the general manager responds and thanks each guest that posted a review. Now that's the kind of service that Expedition Evans likes to see. Phoenix anyone?

Happy Monday!

xoxo mevans

The Most Delicious Donut You Will Ever Eat

Seriously, I'm not exaggerating. In wandering around California aimlessly (since wandering aimlessly is what we do best of course), we stumbled upon the mecca of all donut shops - Randy's Donuts. Randy's has been featured in a bunch of movies (most notably the Iron Man franchise), and is located right outside of LAX. It doesn't look like much, but believe me, the donuts are amazing - and I don't even like donuts. If you ever get a chance to go, try the chocolate raised - it's the JAM. 

Happy Friday everyone! 

Have a great weekend!

xoxo mevans

Happy Blog-versary!

Hello everyone! Yes, yes, it has been awhile. I'm not going to issue any excuses or apologize for my absence. It's my blog and I'll write if I want to - LOL. No totally kidding, I have missed typing away and regaling you all with my stories.  The truth of the matter is, it's just been mad busy around here these days.  You know, being an adult and stuff. I guess this plagues us all once in awhile. 

This is a special post though, because I wanted to announce that this is my blog's one year anniversary! I remember on a rather cold (and boring) November afternoon, I decided to change things up and start writing about my travel experiences. For a non-writer by trade, I think I've done pretty good by my blog. This blog has given me an outlet that I would not normally have otherwise.

So as well as giving myself a "pat on the back", this post also serves as a "thank you" to my friends and fam that care enough to take a few minutes every now and then to check in with Expedition Evans. 

I thank you all and hope you keep reading! When I post, that is. :) 

xoxo mevans

Fall Back

So the Expedition Evans hacienda withstood its first hurricane. My immediate thoughts were "let's turn this into some kind of trip and evacuate" (I'm not gonna lie) - however my logical reasoning (and my bank account) got the best of me, and we decided to stick out the storm. Thankfully no serious damage except for some power outages affected us.

Not to get all profound on you, but in a way I think it really made the summer go out with a BANG (even though Labor Day is this weekend). Like an out with the old, in with the new kind of thing. Today the weather is a bit cooler, and I think everyone is ready to welcome a change of season. I know I am. I've had mixed feelings on summer ever since I graduated high school. Something about a 9am to 5pm schedule 50 weeks out of the year that makes me miss my school days.

So with September just a couple of days away, I welcome the season of pumpkins (and pumpkin spice lattes), bright fall colors, crisp fall days, CAMPING (stay tuned for that), and our 5 year wedding anniversary! Enjoy the last few days of summer everyone!!!

xoxo mevans

What's the deal-io: You wanna go where???

So my latest obsession is with French Polynesia (mostly because I just saw it on Keeping up with the Kardashians). Tahiti, Bora Bora - I will make it there some day. The biggest thing standing in my way though, is airfare. I was stunned to learn that an economy ticket to French Polynesia is at least over $1,000 EACH WAY - you are talking almost $3,000 per person. 

Travelzoo made me smile this week when I saw this beauty of a deal. 

OK - so $700 each way might not be a bargain, but hey, I'd pay that much for some of this: 

 (Photo Courtesy of the Hilton Bora Bora Nui Resort & Spa website)

xoxo mevans

My "DASH" With Fame

I think you all know how I feel about flights that are 5+ hours. I detest them - with a passion. Waaa-mbulance alert: Waaaaah I wish places weren't so far. I always scrub out for them too. Glasses, and clothing that I would usually wear to the gym are my usual fashion of choice. I usually throw my hair up in a messy ponytail about 5 minutes before I leave - as if to say "yup, I look like hobo, and I'm not ashamed of it." Life lesson here everyone, life lesson - never leave the house looking like a hobo.

In true Expedition Evans awkwardness this time around though, I was in for a bit of a surprise. It turns out that upon boarding my Virgin America flight, who do I find sitting in first class? About two feet away from where I was standing?

The ever classy, Rob Kardashian (of Keeping up with the Kardashians fame, or Kim's younger brother). As I fumbled through my bag looking for my phone (because for some reason I thought I could take a pic of him sitting on a plane and that wouldn't be weird), I quickly realized I was becoming "THAT" girl - you know, back in the day, the girl that would stop at nothing to get an autograph of one of the *NSYNC members? Not Chris though, because he was gross.

I dialed it back a bit and calmly proceeded to my seat (Bud had sat down before I did). I immediately texted every person I knew to tell them about my morning's events. Most excited was my sister. We chatted immediately on how we should proceed with this situation. Bud told me to "stop being weird" and that we would see him at baggage claim and to ask for a pic there. To which I said to him in disbelief, "What Kardashian gets their own bags?!? From baggage claim no less."

Well friends, apparently Rob does: 

I was a bit too star struck, so I have to give it to Bud, because he actually went up to Rob and asked for the picture (isn't he great?). After he agreed, I awkwardly stuck my hand out and shook his hand and said, "Hi, I'm a big fan" and he replied, "Hi, thanks I'm Rob", with a sheepish grin. As Bud struggled with the setting on my camera phone (which seemed like an eternity by the way), I couldn't help but think how I looked like I had given up on life with the clothes I was wearing.

Rob, if you are out there reading this, thanks for being a good sport and humoring me a bit. You'll always have LAX Baggage Claim Area B to remember me by. 

xoxo mevans

Back in the Saddle

Long time no talk you guys. Seriously. I gotta shape up with this blog thing. Don't worry - I've been keeping busy. Summer is always a crazy time, and I am happy to say that I have some fun EEE (Expedition Evans Experiences) to share with you. I was able to squeeze in a last minute trip to Cali earlier this month. I tagged along on Bud's business trip and managed to make time for some California fun in the sun. Full reports to come!

Hey, remember when I used to write a blog?

I should rephrase that - I do still have a blog. I'm afraid to say that life has been busy lately and I have not had a chance at all to post with any regularity.

I'm not apologizing because I am sure you all are really tired of hearing me apologize for everything (i.e. I'm sorry that I'm sorry). I'll just leave it short and sweet.

I do have a lot of fun things coming up - me and Bud are venturing to Cali in a bit, and you know what that means - DISNEYLAND - can I get a what! what!

I will also be sharing some more pics from our European vacay soon. So my friends, all is not lost, just a lot of "good stuff" to come. I promise. Besides, absence makes the heart grow fonder, no?

Stay cool everyone!

xoxo mevans

You can have your Nachos, and eat them too

How fast the weeks fly by when the weather is warm. I can't believe today is the first day of Summer! I'll make up my lack of post-age recently with my stay-cation day trip to Six Flags Great Adventure this past weekend.

Bud and I usually try to schedule a trip to Six Flags every now and then. I'm not a big fan of the 3 hour drive and well, Jersey in general, but hey, you take the good with the bad. I'll sum up the day and say we had a blast and we did enjoy a great day with our friends. I just have to bring up a sore spot that I have with Six Flags corporate for a few paragraphs.

An "Epic Fail" award goes to your Marketing Department, Six Flags. Whoever came up with the idea of putting concession stands in the middle of the queuing areas should be fired - or forced to stand in line. Not only does it really mess up the flow of the line and results in a longer overall wait time; it caused me quite a bit of drama. 

A middle-aged man (who looked like Bob Saget just to give you a visual) proceeded to yell at me and my group for moving around him while he stood at the concession stand and bought what seemed like every item the concession stand sold. Now obviously, we knew the man was in front of us, and of course we would have let him back in front of us after he finished buying snacks for the whole entire theme park. As we politely passed him in line to give him room, he began shouting quite heatedly that we were "cutting him" (because this was clearly the 6th grade lunch line) and that he was "still in line". Thank you Captain Obvious.

So, of course, in true Expedition Evans awkwardness, I turn toward him and said back firmly, "RELAX. We will obviously let you back in line in front of us. Get your nachos, and it'll be FINE."  This was all thanks to you, Six Flags corporate (we did let him back in line, just in case you were wondering).

What can I say, I don't like to be sassed.....and also, who REALLY needs a plate of nachos before careening down a steel track at 60 miles per hour and flipped upside down 5 times? Seriously? I digress.

Happy Summer everyone! 

xoxo mevans

It's Photo Book Go-Time

I try to soak in every memory of my trip - the sights, the people, the food, the culture. I like to take a mental snapshot of absolutely everything, if possible. Of course, pictures help. As you know, I go through a "trip withdrawal" when I get back. Mostly from enjoying a few days of doing absolutely nothing but FUN stuff. When I get back and take a look at my pic(k)s, I get really sentimental about all that. Some might say obsessively so - until Shutterfly entered my life (although Bud tells me I'm equally obsessed with it - I think I talked about how awesome it was for about a week).  


Shutterfly.com (shameless plug), is one of those photo sharing websites that lets you upload and share your pictures, as well as make invitations, photo books, calendars, etc. I'm mostly obsessed with the photo book area of this website (they have really great discounts too). Nothing captures your vacay memories quite like a photo book, and helps you relive them at the same time. What I love about it is that you can make captions and edit your pictures. The prices are pretty exceptional, and it's way cooler than just buying a photo album and printing your pictures. Every trip is different, and you can create and customize the books based on what type of trip you went on. 

For example, for our recent trip, I used more of a "scrapbook" theme. This past one was my best creation yet: 

And yes, these are pictures I actually took. 

Warning though, it can be quite time consuming and addicting. I think I spent about 3 hours on this one........because, well, I have no life. JK, JK. 

Defs check it out though, it's really a great site! 

Oh, and you guys got an "Expedition Evans Experience" post, a "What's the Deal-io" post, and a "Pic(k) of the Week" post all in one blog entry. Now that's what I call efficiency!

Have a great weekend everyone! 

xoxo mevans 

Pic(k) of the Week: Meeting the Queen

OK, well we didn't actually meet the Queen - in fact, I don't even think she was "home" when we dropped by Buckingham Palace on that sunny Sunday. We missed the Royal Wedding by about a week. I think these accommodations would certainly suit me. Fun Fact: Buckingham Palace can only be toured for two months out of the summer: August and September. Oh, and no, that's not Lady Gaga in the black sunglasses and leather jacket.....Sorry guys, there was a lot of people around. 

Have a great weekend!


xoxo mevans

Pic(k) of the Week: Big Ben

This is one of my favorite pictures from our trip. This pic(k) is obviously Big Ben, with the London Eye in the background. We took a city bus tour of London, which was super fun, and we were able to get some really great shots. Unfortunately I was really tired that day, and wasn't really paying attention to the tour guide, so I can't really give you any background on it (like you guys really want me to go into that anyway). I assume you are all proactive enough to "google"  it for more info, should you be so inclined for more info. Enjoy!

xoxo mevans







What's the deal-io: The Maine Event

I hear Maine is beautiful (when it's not buried in snow). I went there once when I was like, 6 years old, so if you take advantage of this deal you will have to tell me how it is. Then again, a quaint New England getaway sounds just about my kind of speed right now. The reviews on this resort are great, I mean, the best I have EVER seen. Anybody up for some antiquing?

Oh, and thanks everyone! We just reached over 1,000 page views! I give a virtual "big hug" out to you all.......

xoxo mevans

"At Least You're Wearing Comfortable Shoes"......

I'm not one of those girls that has a lot of shoes (believe it or not). I have literally one of each pair. Your basic black heels, brown heels, tan wedges, sneakers, and a lot of flip flops. I don't know about you, but March to October here in New York is flip flop weather- for reals in my opinion. None of the aforementioned footwear however, is suitable for Europe, apparently. If you haven't gathered already, I made some unwise fashion choices on my trip.
Due to some packing logistical issues, I had only packed about 3 pairs of shoes because of the space situation. Plus the weather was really nice, so I had to opt for flips 75% of the time. I decided to switch this post up a bit and make it more of a photo blog on my inappropriate shoe behavior. 

Sneaks were the best option, in this case

(yes, that's water we are standing on):

So, flip flops are not great choices for the following scenarios

(and yes I was wearing flip flops for all of these pictures):

Exhibits A, B, and C: The Irish Countryside

Ridiculous, I know.

Never wear heels to a castle.

I left my "comfortable" shoes home that day:

Just to give you some perspective:



I hope you enjoyed my well-documented trek through the UK. We finally got a new camera! Kinda random, I know, but it wouldn't be me if I didn't post something awkward every now and then. Enjoy guys!

xoxo mevans

What's the deal-io: Time to Fly

If anyone's looking for a quick Memorial Day weekend last-minute-getaway-kind-of-thing, take a look at Travelzoo's airfare search engine. I tried a few popular spots and the fares were pretty decent, considering of course, that it is Memorial Day Weekend. Check out NY (JFK) to Orlando (MCO), I found fares for under $300 roundtrip (always my kind of last-minute-getaway-kind-of-thing). Happy flying everyone!

xoxo mevans

P.S. "Getaway" is a word - I checked Oxford's English Dictionary. Just in case anyone was curious....

"What I Learned on my April Vacation"

There's a few things I learned on my recent trip to Europe - other than to make sure you wear pants that actually fit you and don't forget to wear a belt. So, without a further ado, and in no particular order, here we go! 

On Piers Morgan vs. Ryan Seacrest:

Piers Morgan is to the UK what Ryan Seacrest is to the US. Seriously. He has about 10 talk shows AND hosts the American version of Britain's Got Talent. Enough said. Note: I'm also glad that my SAT analogy knowledge can still be put to good use.

On Television:
There's only 3 shows I can remember seeing: iCarly, Mythbusters, and "SuperCrew" - the British version of "So You Think You Can Dance?" meets "America's Best Dance Crew" - only with 14 year olds and really bad dance moves.

The British really love their Mythbusters - I'm just sayin'.

On Directions: 

When someone says "you can't miss it", it's about 99.6% guaranteed that you will miss it. Horribly.

On drinks: 

There's no ice anywhere in England or Ireland. 

On food (this is a long one): 

If you see bacon on a menu, you are basically ordering ham. If you want crispy American-style (does that sound weird?) bacon, you have to specify. 

Mayo is a condiment on every sandwich. 

The bread and cheese are amazing. I can't think of any other word to describe it. 

A "BAP" is another word for roll. A "ROCKET"  another word for baguette. 

If you want potato chips, you order "crisps". If you want french fries, you order "chips". 

On nationalities: 

I apparently look and sound like a Canadian, eh? 

On fashion: 

Never wear high heels to a castle. Ever.

Oh, and last but certainly not least (as per Guiness):

xoxo mevans

Half Moon Over London

I think London is now my second favorite city - San Francisco and Rio de Janiero being my #1 loves. For those of you not familiar with Foggy London-town (which was not foggy at ALL by the way), the sights London has to offer are amazing. Hyde Park, Buckingham Palace, Tower Bridge, and Big Ben - every place you've read about since you were a kid - is just as cool as it seems in person.
 

There's a few things you need to know before you continue reading. I have issues with pants. A couple of years ago I went to Florida and lost my bathing suit bottom in a freak tubing accident (I know, how does that even happen). I went to the gym the other day and realized that my Hollister sweats (circa 2003) don't fit me as well as I would have liked them to.

I was not able to splurge on some London couture, so my jeggings (you know, looks like a jean, feels like a legging?) and black ballet flats were the best I could come up with. In my haste to get ready that morning, I forgot one essential item: my belt. Yes my friends, I dressed irresponsibly  and went "belt commando". This left me hiking my pants up (to keep them from falling down) about every 5 minutes (it wasn't pretty). Which brings me to the "Trafalgar Square Incident".

The thing about us is, that we like to take funny pictures. We also like to climb on stuff. It's just how we roll. In the hustle and bustle of London's Trafalgar Square (which for some reason included a  lot of Dutch people and Merengue music on the day we visited) we decided to climb up a pretty high monument to take a picture (picture below because you probably have no idea what I'm talking about). Now, I'm not really great at climbing stuff, so I had to be hoisted up (rather awkwardly I might add) about 7 feet in the air by the brothers Miller, and their mom, Clara. It wasn't an easy feat.

Now if that wasn't embarrassing enough, keep in mind the jeggings situation. Let's just put it this way, I felt a breeze that one should never feel, especially in the middle of a busy city square. I can honestly say that I've never laughed so hard in my life, and I just hope it's not on You Tube somewhere....

So there's one thing I learned in London, kids, never leave home without a belt, or at least pants that fit you correctly.......I learned a few other things too, but more on that next week!

 Cut me some slack, I was on a double decker bus tour, 

and there were a lot of Dutch people around.

It's higher than it looks....

The culprit

(it's ok jeggings, I still love you!)

Have a great weekend everyone!


xoxo mevans

 

Pic(k) of the Week: Life on the Edge - Cliffs of Moher

Ahhh it feels nice to be back on track with posts. I really did miss writing, plus I actually have some substantial stuff to write about now.  You guys will just have to put up with some super-amazing-awesome Expedition Evans tales.


My pic(k)s of the week this week are from beautiful Ireland. We visited the Cliffs of Moher on Tuesday, April19th - straight from the Shannon, Ireland airport (yeah, we're hard core like that). The scenery was breathtaking and we got some great shots. 


Unfortunately the photos just don't do it justice. I did manage to wear appropriate shoes that day, and also managed to NOT embarrass myself too much. Although I do believe there is footage of me running through the green fields with the Cliffs behind me - think Sound of Music meets Ugly Betty (I was wearing my glasses that day). I'll spare you guys the horror of seeing that. I will share these with you though: 

Pretty cool, right? Courtesy J-Mills for the pic(k)s. 


Have a good weekend everyone! 


xoxo mevans 
  

What's the deal-io: Costa Rican Inspirations/Aspirations

There's nothing like coming back home after a trip and being bitten by the "travel bug". Immediately upon exiting the flight the other day, we all came to the realization that being home after a great trip was not going to cut it. I always have these crazy ideas about planning future trips whenever I get home from one. After we got home from Florida last year I had this crazy idea of traveling to Japan to see Tokyo Disneyland (I know). 

My deal-io for this week is from my trusty travel-partner-in-crime - you guessed it, Travelzoo. Anybody up for some Costa Rican hot springs? For roughly $700 a person including airfare from NYC, accommodations, car rental, and breakfast you can explore this tropical paradise, and get a killer tan. *Sigh*...............A girl can only dream.....

Ya tu sabes ;)

xoxo mevans

Jaunt Across the Pond

Hello my dears! Oh I know how much you have missed me, and I'm happy to tell you that I AM BACK! Where was I, you might ask? Well, Bud and I just returned from our "jaunt" to England, Wales, and Ireland. Or, as we like to call it, THE MOTHERLAND since we both have some roots in both countries (yes I am that dramatic and that much of a nerd). 


So of course you know what that means - a series of fun and informative blogs highlighting what we saw during our 12 day trip. I'll pace myself with all of the details, but we really had an amazing time. Not only did we share a lot of laughs with our fellow travelers, the Miller Fam, we took the cities/towns of Manchester, Chester, Liverpool, London, Dublin, Dingle (LOL), Cork, and Adare by storm. Somehow I managed to stumble, trip, and wear the most uncomfortable shoes ever, yet maintain an awkward grace throughout the whole time. I like to pride myself in that. It wouldn't be the same Expedition Evans experience without some awkward and embarrassing stories - and pic(ks) to boot.



I won't regale you with the details on how this trip came to be, but with much help from the Miller Fam and Travel Zoo's hot deals (I post these deals for a reason, kids), it really was an unforgettable trip. So, I'd like to use the phrase that I'm "back and better than ever", but this is a classy blog and I don't roll with clichés. I will say though, it is nice to be back States-side, but a little piece of my heart will always be across the pond........(yeah, that's not cliché at all). 


Cheers! 


xoxo mevans 

Crazy Evans Weekend

My friends! How I have missed you! Shame on me, it has been awhile since I've posted. I am firm believer in "no excuses" but things have been quite crazy around here.

In the past few weeks I've battled sickness, work stress and all the while managed to help Commuter Justine get down the aisle (congratulations Justine and Joey!!!!!!). More pictures to come on that.

So my friends, this is a little note that I *promise* that there will be some "good stuff" coming your way. Think of your favorite TV show - you know when the take those super long hiatus' and you are left with re-runs and it's like super annoying? Well, I hate to say it, but I'm doing that to you guys LOL.

Stay tuned everyone!

xoxo mevans

Pic(k)s of the Week: From Ground Zero Up

Happy Friday everyone!

Just following up from Wednesday's post with some pic(k)s of the Millennium Hilton Hotel. We stayed on the 29th floor of the hotel, with a sick view of the work being done at Ground Zero: 

Here are the pic(k)s from the pool area: 

xoxo mevans

What's the Deal-io: Downtown Girl

Business first, I hate to break it to everyone, but I have to change my "What's the Deal-io Wednesdays" to simply "What's the Deal-io". It's been increasingly challenging to get to my computer by Wednesday with a promising deal, and I really what you guys to get the full Expedition Evans experience. So sorry if I've been short-changing lately. Not my intention, I promise you! 

Well now for the fun stuff! I recently had the pleasure of a jaunt in NYC this weekend with some of my favorite girls! We stayed at the Millenium Hilton in the Financial District with a sick view of the work being done at Ground Zero, which didn't interrupt our stay any, but be advised that they are doing work even on the weekends there. Some pic(k)s of the hotel tomorrow, I hope! 

I happen to be searching NYC deals on Travelzoo (listed under "More deals on NYC Hotels) and came across some discounted hotel rates at the Millenium Hilton for April and onward via American Express Travel. The deals are pretty decent. 

Happy sight seeing!

xoxo mevans

 

Reality Checkpoint: The Amazing Race

So one of my favorite shows of late happens to be one about travel. Shocking, I know. Given the show has been on a few years and can get a bit monotonous, it never ceases to "amaze me". If anyone *happens* to be home on a Sunday night, I recommend watching "The Amazing Race" on CBS (Sundays, 8pm - I know, shameless plug). 

To sum it up quickly, twelve teams of two are chosen by producers to travel the world competing in one big international scavenger hunt. They need to complete different tasks and "check in" at certain areas. The last team to arrive at these checkpoints each episode is usually sent home packing (ha!). It's so interesting watching the teams get from one destination to another, and the last minute travel and planning. Some of the tasks are so exhausting, they can really mess with your head. 

Seeing the world like that would totally be my jam though. Sign me up! Four Disney Parks in one day...remember? So without further ado my friends, here are my type 5 reasons "Why I Should" and "Why I Shouldn't" be on the show. 

Why I should: 

5. I really think I should be on a TV show

4. I don't qualify for the Jersey Shore (although I did get a pretty bad spray tan recently)   

3. $1,000,000 is not too shabby 

2. I'd get really cool luggage and can wear sweatpants every day 

1. It would be the experience of a lifetime! Imagine all the blog posts. 

Why I shouldn't: 

5. I don't think a camera should follow me around for more than two hours

4. The camera adds 10 lbs. (Chandler: "So how many cameras are ACTUALLY ON you") 

3. I get "jet lagged" very easily, and I couldn't deal with any type of weird food, or horse back riding for that matter. 

2. I would end up crying at some point (and seriously, who wants to see that?)  

1. A weird bug or animal will probably bite me and a medical emergency might soon ensue

What about you guys? Reality TV anyone? 

You all know that I like to give credit when credit is due. Shout out to Luke for the inspiration for today's post!   

xoxo mevans  

  

What's the deal-io Wednesday: The Lazy (Travel) Song

I would kill for some sun. If you are anywhere in the Northeast this past week, I'm sure you feel my pain. It's something about that Vitamin D... My deal-io for this week includes such.

Now, I'm all about my itineraries. I like doing stuff. I like planning where to stay, where to eat, where to go, etc. Sometimes though, even I have to throw in the towel. Sometimes I'm just not man enough. What? I can't be lazy every now and then? What do you think I am? A machine? :)

This brings me to my end-all-be-all of travel laziness - THE CRUISE. You pay one price, and your accommodations, transportation (sometimes), and the most indulgent part - FOOD are all inclusive. It takes the guess work out of almost everything. I know some people can argue with me on this one, of course, you have to be a "cruise" person (I challenge the nay-sayers to write their own blog). Yes, I just used the word "nay-sayers". I'm officially 100 years old.

So maybe not a deal price wise, due to the timing of April/Spring Break, but if you live in the NY area and want to get away last minute, this deal might be for you. Carnival is offering an 8 day cruise from the port of New York to San Juan, PR, St. Thomas, and Grand Turk for roughly $1,000 per person. Keep in mind, no airfare is needed if you live in the NY metro area, and, food and activities are mostly included - for 8 days mind you. That's a lot of entertainment right there.

I took a Carnival cruise back in 2008 on the Carnival Legend and loved it. Some pic(ks) to follow on that one. Check back Friday!


xoxo mevans

Pic(k) of the Week: Hot & Fresh Out the Kitchen

There are a few things in life that I can't live without. Just to name a few, my cell phone, my hair straightener, my family and my friends of course, but also, baked goods. They make me happy. There's nothing like freshly made brownies and chocolate chip cookies. I've been told I make a mean brownie and from time to time, an exceptional chocolate chip cookie. 

You might ask where I'm going with this. I'm counting this as a travel related post because I do have to "travel" a bit to work, and plus I took pictures, and it's not like I do this every day. I thought it would be a nice way to kick off the weekend. I know, it's a stretch.

It can get crazy now and then in the office, and sometimes I like to make some treats for me and the girls to share. Especially if we have had a crazy week. We had "Thirsty Thursdays" not too long ago with smoothies and non-alcoholic beverages. "Fiesta Fridays" is also a fun one.  I've been known to work the toaster oven like nobody's business. It can be complicated, and there is a bit of a science to it.

First of all, the toaster oven is a tricky thing - you need the right setting, and the right eye especially for chocolate chip cookies - my treat of choice yesterday. I managed to bake an entire batch of the Nestle Tollhouse Mini Cookies with the toaster oven - at work. I'm Martha Stewart - only without the prison record and bad haircut. I was pretty proud of my accomplishment, and they were super delicious.

Here are some pic(k)s to document this glorious chocolate chip filled afternoon:

Well, they taste better than they look...so maybe I don't get extra points for presentation. OK Martha, I take it back.....and yes - I do keep storage containers and tin foil at work just for these situations. 


xoxo mevans

The "Apple" of My Eye

I don' t know how much Apple spends on their marketing campaigns, but let me tell you - they work. Yes my friends, I sold myself out, and I bought the iPhone. I graduated from my pink Motoral Razr to my Blackberry Curve just last year. As soon as my cell phone carrier came out with the iPhone, I was hooked. I guess I'm just in the ideal demographic of Gen X/Y 80's kids that need a technological device to define their social status. Well done, Apple, well done. You and your catchy commercials about making life so much easier. I surrender (waves white flag), I surrender!

Enough about my frivolous purchases. This is a blog about travel, of course. I'm all about efficiency, and having a phone, ipod, and every possible Google application at my finger tips is perfect for me. Especially when I'm out and about.

Which brings me to my new love: my travel Apps. My first app installed was the "Trip Advisor" app. I can read reviews on hotels, restaurants and attractions, in seconds, and all on my phone (well, duh). There are other travel apps that I'm in the process of discovering, but really, it helps me with all my travel needs - don't even get me started on Restaurant Finder - or - the Disney related travel apps - or for that matter, Angry Birds. Hopefully this will keep me busy while I'm playing the waiting game. Loves it! 

(Photo courtesy of Apple.com) 

xoxo mevans 

What's the Deal-io Wednesday: California Love

No, I don't mean the  "Cali Love" scarf. You know that I'm always itching to find a way to wing to the West Coast. I think it's my second love - I have many first loves. The only thing that usually slows my itchy "clicker" finger is the airfare. Aside, I hate to be so "airfare" related lately, there's just so much to write about and a lot of good deals! 

I've been dying to go to Disneyland for the longest time. My recent West Coast searches have included $350+ fares. I know, ouch. This really makes me hesitate, however my fabulous friends at Virgin America have put together what I like to call, a pretty awesome deal-io. Fares are currently on sale from NYC to San Francisco, LA, and Vegas starting at $149 each way. I had two awesome flights with them back in January. I highly recommend checking them out! They are really fun (um, yeah, I'm 5 years old). 

Plus they have an awesome marketing campaign. Have you seen the commercials? Pretty cool. 


If a trip to San Fran and wine country tickles your fancy, pair a flight up with this sweet deal from Hilton and you've got yourself a nice trip! 

Happy booking!

xoxo mevans 

These pretzels are making me thirsty........

Well, not anymore Continental Airlines passengers. I recently heard on the news and confirmed via this CNN post that Continental will no longer be offering snacks on their domestic flights. Forgive my mini-rant, but seriously Continental? Seriously? 

I understand the usual suspects - the economy, the recession, rising fuel costs, blah, blah, blah. I pay $300+ for a flight, and I expect my complimentary soda and snacks. I know, people won't NOT fly Continental because of this. Hey, if they get me where I need to go at the best fare, then I will concede.

In a world where so little is free or ahem, "complimentary", I must say that I do enjoy cozying up to my half can of Diet Coke and a 100 calorie pack of pretzels. Is that so wrong my friends? I didn't think so. My recommendation is to stock up your carry-on with snacks prior to boarding. 

Happy Snacking everyone!

xoxo mevans