Tag: travel

SweetShop

A trip, any destination, virtually means nothing without a trip to a cupcake shop. While in Salt Lake City, I just had to sample one of the Best Cupcake shop, which happened to be Sweet Cake Bake Shop located in Downtown Utah. The shop is nestled on a cute lil street next to a few eateries. 


Of course being the person I am I arrive twenty minutes before closing time, so I kept it simple with three mini cupcakes, chocolate, hummingbird and carrot cake. (Sorry, No Red Velvet this time) Surprisingly the Carrot Cake was my absolute favorite, it was like biting into a sunny day the first day after rain. So super moist but not overly sweet. It was perfection. Chocolate would have to be second as it was almost too sweet but they somehow managed to add just the right mixture. Unfortunately hummingbird fell flat, it just had no umph, no kick. 

I must say this was a “sweet” stop in my exploration of Utah. If ever in Utah, be sure to add Sweet Cake on your list of stops. 

Sweet Cake Bake Shop

457 E 300th S

Salt Lake City, Utah 84111
Tristan Jonez 

I 💜 Herschel

Shoutout to Herschel Supply Co!

Hands down, they have the best customer service of any company I have utilize as of late. I’m trying to decide if y’all want the run down? Yeah, y’all want it! (Ha!)

I had been looking for the perfect weekender and overnight bags, its harder than you would think, and finally I had logged on to Herschel. For the longest I had opted to stay away as I didn’t want to break the bank. So I browsed Target, Walmart, and other such retailers. However I wasn’t finding the correct sizing I was looking for. Every Option was always too big, or too expensive. I am a light packer, for the longest time I’ve been using my Coach bag, which is exactly the perfect size for an overnight, but I didn’t want to continue to use my purse as luggage, and I definitely was not going to check my bag, ever! I did take a look into Coach, but I wasn’t even about to spend 250$ for a bag I was going to allow to get dirty purposely, so Coach was out! Finally I broke down and search all the items of Herschel, and low and behold, I found my bags. Both my overnight and my weekender, but at 65$ and 89$ respectively and I honestly did not want to spend more than, maximum 100$, for both bags. With much thought, I purchased a youth bag, for 50$, to be used as a weekender, and upon receiving the bag, its larger than I calculated, but still smaller than the options I had seen.

 

So UPS was the shipping company used, and I was already anticipating for there to be some sort of issues arising. According to UPS my bag was scheduled to be delivered by end of day Tuesday, utilizing Herschel’s modern day tracking, I was able to see where my item was every step of the ride Until the day it was to be delivered. I looked as if it was stuck on 83rd and 2nd ave for hours. Once it started getting late I reached out via instant messenger on Herschel’s official site. I spoke to Sarah who tried to assure me she would do all she could but because it was late she wasn’t sure she would receive a response until the next morning. The next morning I was flying out and needed my bag. Sarah was apologetic, and assured me she would reach out once she had information for me. Early next morning, Sarah emailed me, the up to moment information about my delivery, which was assuring while traveling.

SideNote: UPS still sucks as a shipping company.

Has a company provided such good customer service, that you will shop with them again?

Tristan Jonez

Vaca * tion

So I was on vacation for two whole weeks! I’ve never taken a vacation for that long, ever!

Can we discuss how I went from Frankfurt, German to New Orleans, to Chicago. I had such an amazing time, was by myself, the beginning and end, but was joined by friends for Mardi Gras! I will go into deeper discussion about all three places. Initially my plan was to go to carnival in Brazil but that didn’t pan out the way I’d semi planned it. I was even planning on taking Samba lessons as I really wanted to be part of the festivities, but a year flew by so quickly that Feb 2017, snuck up on so quickly that I was unprepared. I’ve been advised that Trinidad Carnival should be on my bucket list, and I am actually putting lots of thought into that idea.

Are you planning on Carnival, in any country next year?

Tristan Jonez

No More Single

Am I allowed to say, out loud, that I’m tired of being single? That I’m super over not having a husband? I know I just jumped over having a boyfriend, but it’s true I am tired of being single. Single is boring! Now I know why folks be cuffing’ for the winter, although I’m not looking for a warm body, having someone who I can actually communicate with. I can’t tell you how many days I look at my phone for someone to speak to, and I end up opening an app to play a game. There’s no one I want to speak to, there was one guy but thats’ a dub.

I didn’t realize I’ve been single for a year, this month. I have survived one whole year without being with the man I thought was going to be my last. I have made it! And I do not regret my decision to separate one bit. Granted I’m going through my bs of being single, for right now, but my guy is lost getting to me. I think its all the traveling I do, he’s not sure what city he should go to so he can sweep me off my feet. (Cute Right?)

Jonez.

Funny Thing

As I get older, I find myself thinking about all sorts of things… mostly things dealing with love and life. I’m a bit hung up on soulmates, If I have one, and If I do, where is he? I’ve been thinking what if a soulmate has nothing to do with another human, what if your soul is connected to a place? If my destiny wasn’t connected to another person It wouldn’t surprise me since I’m fully connected to Chicago.

I wish I could adequately explain how Chicago makes me feel. For a second put aside everything you’ve ever heard about the city. When I land It feels like home, in spite of  itself it feels safe to me. Chicago welcomes me home with opened arms, its like receiving a warm cup of tea after being outside in the cold for too long. In high school, I just KNEW I had to visit Chicago, there was some force beyond myself pulling me there. I still feel that pull, and I make sure to fly to Chicago every single chance I get. Chicago grounds me in a way that no other place has been able to do. Philadelphia has come close, but I always feel something is missing when I stay there for too long.

Have you ever been connected to a place?

Jonez.

 

 

 

Travel Packs

Fun Fact: I rather not travel in a group.

Its easier for me to make all the decisions, and not have to confer with someone else about what they would like to do. There have been times where I’ll travel to a tropical destination and all I want to do is lounge on the beach reading a book. Yes, I will travel hours via air to just sit on a beach. If I was in a group I may not have the luxury of only doing what I want to do. Now, while I’m willing to be a team player and participate in touristy activities, its not my ideal vacation. Although traveling in a group is very avoidable, I have one rule that I live by to keep it stress-free if I must travel with others.

Communication
It is your money, so speak up. If you’d rather opt out of the tour bus, or a visit to the chocolate factory, make your voice known. Respectfully, of course. This is your trip too, so if there’s something you dont want to do, say something. If you want to explore solo, make that known too, preferably before the trip so your travel mates understand that you’re going to block some alone time. If you are picky about the type of hotel you’d like to stay in, or if you have a max price you aren’t willing to go above, let that be known too. Essentially, everyone in the group should have some sort of say in where you all will be staying. Unless ya’ll, as a group, have chosen someone who is known to get the best price or who is able to combine what everyone is looking for and find suitable options. Several options should be listed so it could be majority wins, listing one hotel, is unacceptable, folks would like to have choices.
I’m big on staying away from the tourist traps, dont get me wrong, I’ll visit the Empire State blgd’s of the World but I dont want that to be the only type of places on my agenda. If I can I want to submerge myself in the culture, and what better way than with food. As selective as I might be when it comes to food, I keep a wide open mind! Dont be afraid to break away from the group if you have to. Put your free time to good use! What’s been ‘planned’ may not be for you. I’m more of a go with the flow, get lost in where you are type of gal. I’m perfectly at home with walking around a particular area, if the vibes are good.
I just cant stress enough the importance of communicating with the folks you are traveling with! Learn from me, I went on a vacation to Europe, and it was one of the worst experiences I ever had. The city I visited was amazing but the company I was with, put a strain on my experience. So much so that I’ve declined every group trip I’ve been invited on. Some of that was because I didnt not speak up, I just went with whatever was happening and I’ll never do that again.

Tristan.