Prior to traveling to Chicago for the first time a few years ago, I would always hear people talk about how good the food was, but I would always think they were just exaggerating. But I now stand corrected… hands down, Chicago has some of the best food in the country! Of course, you want to be sure you get the Deep Dish Pizza. My friends and I were fortunate enough to snag a table at Giordanos, the first night we were there, and it exceeded our expectations! We ate an entire pie at the restaurant and had a pie to go... the pizza was everything! For a to die for hotdog, I would recommend Portillos. When it comes to a hotdog, I’ve always only just had chili, ketchup, and maybe cheese at times. But Portillos comes through with the works! I had the Chicago Dog and it came with just about everything you could think of (mustard, relish, celery salt, onions, sliced tomatoes, a pickle, and peppers on a poppy seed bun). Lastly, if you’re in the mood for an amazing grilled cheese sandwich (yes, grilled cheese!), then Cheesie’s is your spot! This restaurant serves grilled cheese sandwiches with just about any food item you can think of… pulled pork, bacon, jalapeno, mushroom, chicken, and the list goes on. Sides and drinks are also served. I could go on for days talking about how good the food was in Chicago and I will admit that there has been times where I’ve thought about booking a flight to Chi Town, just to eat!

I traveled to Barcelona as a part of a week and a half long international trip with a group of 13 other black professionals to Europe and Africa; we were in Barcelona from May 26-29, 2019. While the weather wasn’t quite hot enough to enjoy the beach, we rented Go Carts through GoCar Barcelona and sped through the streets sightseeing and stopping for pictures at places/sites such as Barceloneta Beach, Sagrada Familia, and Magic Fountain of Montjuic, to name a few. We also visited Arc de Triomf, Las Ramblas, and did some shopping in Passeig de Gràcia. To add to the fun, we partied at Pacha and Opuim and it was super LIT!

I traveled to this gem of an island from February 27-March 2, 2020 and it seemed like the perfect time to visit. The weather was perfect, we were able to enjoy the beach/pools, and it was not overly crowded. Four of my friends and I rented an Airbnb in the Christ Church area (off Hastings Main Road) with the ocean at our backdoor and stores/restaurants/bars within walking distance. Outside of the general area of our Airbnb, getting around the island was not an issue as a cab was only a call and a few minutes away (the trips were between $20-$50 total for 5 people, depending on the location) and we ended up using the same driver throughout the trip, which made commuting much easier for our group. For our activities, outside of the beaches, we did an excursion with Silver Moon Catamaran Cruises that included bottomless drinks (acholic and non-alcoholic), lunch (buffet), snorkeling, and music (this was the highlight of the trip for me ). Also, we did a walking tour of the island with Karen, a local Bajan, who educated us on the history of the island and its many historical landmarks as well as attended the Oistin’s Friday Fish Fry, where we ate good and celebrated with the locals. Additionally, we took a cooking class on the beach with Chef Creig, celebrity chef of Barbados, cooked up some of Barbados’ traditional dishes and had lunch while learning more about the Barbadian culture. Oh, and of course we partied just about every night of the trip… St. Lawrence Gap was our go-to for club/bar hopping and we also went to Harbor Lights one night and took advantage of their open bar special – it was LIT! For food, we dined oceanfront at Cin Cin by the Sea and Blakey’s Bar & Restaurant, had food to-go from Chefette, and on the late night, after partying, we would get food from the gas station (don’t sleep, this food slaps)! Overall, the food across the island was well prepared and met our expectations! Be sure to try their fish, it was literally some of the best fish I’ve ever had! Regarding costs, Barbados was very affordable. Though Barbados has its own currency, the U.S. dollar, Visa, Mastercard, etc. are accepted. But, be mindful when using the U.S. dollar, you will likely receive your change in Barbados currency. Overall, my trip to Barbados was amazing and it goes down as one of my favorite destinations, to date! I would most definitely return!