Jackson Mississippi restaurant 1908 Provisions

I ate dinner here, because I was a guest in the hotel, and was taking a licensing exam the next morning. Apparently the bartender had called in, so the older gentleman, Willie, who is normally a server, had to do double duty. I thought with the help of other staff members, he did a great job. I started with the shrimp and redfish ceviche. The redfish could have been a bit more tender, and the dish was extremely cilantro forward. Lucky for me, I don't have that anti-cilantro gene. I ate every bite, regardless.

For me entrée, once again, I opted for redfish. It was served over stone ground grits, the thicker kind, and fresh green beans. Again, I ate nearly every bite on the plate. The fish was fresh, and was seasoned and cooked perfectly. The green beans were crisp like they should be, but maybe just a bit oily. I ordered the flourless chocolate cake for dessert, which was the only disappointment. The cake had very little flavor, and was way too sweet. The addition of caramel sauce and whipped cream only added to the sweetness. Over all, I loved the ambiance, and I think this is a contender for one of the best restaurants in town with a little more attention to details.

Jackson Mississippi's best hotel, The Fairview Inn

I booked this hotel because I had a licensing exam a couple of miles away the next morning and I wanted something to look forward to. I booked it online through my usual booking service. I called a few days before my reservation because I realized I had been assigned one of the only rooms without a tub. When I called, I was told I had been upgraded to the Asian suite. I was thrilled. When I arrived, I had actually been upgraded to the Spanish Suite, even better.

This hotel is walking distance from where I went to college. It screams out Southern charm and grace. When you check in, they don't just take your credit card and hand you a key, they show you to your room, and give you a tour along the way. I LOVE it. One of my favorite features of the hotel is the guest pantry. It features a huge Keurig, with every flavor of coffee and tea you could imagine. Did I mention there is also a Keurig in every room? The pantry also has complimentary bottled water, as well as sodas, cookies, and cake. What a brilliant touch. How refreshing, after being charged 5.00 for 2 bottles of water I consumed in a hotel in North Carolina last month.

My room was like something out of a movie. I wish I could have stayed all weekend. In fact, when I inquired about extending my stay, I found that they were booked. However, when I was eating lunch in the bar, the receptionist found me and said they had something open up. What service! Sadly, I had already booked a non-refundable room somewhere else. The bathroom was HUGE, and I loved the giant Jacuzzi with jets. I had a fireplace with gas logs, which operates with a remote. There was also a separate sitting area that overlooked the garden.

I love the fact that breakfast is ordered from a menu, and served instead of buffet style. I had eggs benedict, which were just perfect. Service was fast, thankfully, since I had to check in at the testing center by 8:30. I booked a massage at Nomi spa downstairs, which was heavenly. Then I had lunch in the Library Lounge which consisted of 2, delicious, local catfish tacos with grilled vegetables. I'm already trying to justify a return trip to the Fairview, but with a cruise coming up in a couple of weeks, I guess I should slow down. This was a luxury and a treat I will never forget. Thank you to all of the staff for making my stay so relaxing and memorable. Can I just move in, please?

Barcelona

Barcelona harbor from the ferry. I was sad to be leaving.

Tapa Tapa Maremagnum salad sampler. This is the location that overlooks the harbor. There's another one in town.

The Gaudi House

la placa de Cataluna

Barcelona, one of my favorite cities in the world. I didn't make it to Barcelona the first summer I spent in Spain, in 2015. I always regretted that I didn't see more of Spain that summer, and promised myself I would make up for it. I decided to make Barcelona my last stop in Spain, and use the port there as a means to get to Italy. I took a Grimaldi ferry from Barcelona to Citavecchia, and I'll review that experience in a later post. 

I highly recommend the hop-on-hop-off buss in Barcelona. It's rather reasonable, I believe about $26 per day, or 2 days for $40, which is the better option. I spend two nights there, and didn't get to see half of the things on my list, so I will be going back. Most regrettably, la Sagrada Familia was sold out for the day, and I was foolish to wait until my last day to see that world class cathedral. My bad, and another excuse for going back. 

Hotel Alameda Palace, Salamanca Spain

I booked this lovely hotel a few days in advance. It was my first time in Salamanca. The photos online looked beautiful, and I must say, we were not disappointed. The lobby and the hallways give one the feeling of being in an exclusive, much more high-priced hotel. The bathroom in the room was my favorite feature of the room. However, the shower was actually too high tech for my friend and me. We felt like we needed instructions on how to operate it. Another minor annoyance was that the light in the bathroom would randomly turn off while I was in it. http://www.hotelalamedapalace.com/

The hotel was easy to find. It was a 3 minute walk from the train station, and I believe we only had to make one turn.

Front of the hotel. I had a terrible cold, but tried to push through and enjoy the beautiful city.

Experience of a Lifetime!

Yesterday, my sister-in-law and I zipped the gulf. I can't WAIT to do it again! Our guides, Pat and Edward were funny, warm, but serious enough about safety that I never once felt insecure. There was a little boy, about 12 who cried hysterically on the first zip, and didn't want to continue. By the end of the trip, he was laughing, smiling, and talking about how "cool" it was to zip. It takes about a half hour of getting on your gear, listening to the safety rules, and there's a small line on which you have the opportunity to learn how to brake. Make sure to get your "I survived the Hummingbird Zipline" t-shirt in the gift shop afterwards.http://www.gulfadventurecenter.com/hummingbird-ziplines/

Coastal Waters Inn, New Smyrna Beach, Florida

Two thumbs up! I had to temporarily move out of my house, due to mold issues. Funny, I'd been wanting a mini vacation on the beach all summer. Coastal Waters was the only small hotel in the area, that actually answered their phone, otherwise, I would have stayed elsewhere. I'm glad they did. For value, location and convenience, I rate this hotel very highly. The staff was friendly, except for the one time I locked myself out of the room. The on call person was clearly put out. Also, there was no maid service my last day there. I attribute that to the fact that I kept changing my mind about staying. I originally was going to stay one night. I ended up staying 4. I'm told I'll have to move out during remodeling. I WILL, be going back to Coastal Waters Inn.: September 2011, traveled solo