Tag: Travel

Boston, MA | Summer 2021

Posted on Posted in Here & ThereTagged , , , Leave a comment

“So what made you come to Boston?“

Just because…”

“Really? That’s pretty cool.”

I had that short exchange at least 3 times throughout my weekend in the city. Sometimes curiosity and the want for new surroundings is enough to get away from your hometown. Once again, my friend Tiffany and I just decided on a weekend, a place to go and we went! We only had 48 hours to spend and we tried to optimize our time as much as possible. Here’s how it went:

June 25th

I woke up super early to catch my 6:30 flight. The temperature was warm in Greensboro, North Carolina but in Boston, it was kind of cool: the high was only 70° and the low, 61°. My connecting flight was in Atlanta. I met Tiffany at baggage claim once I arrived to Boston. We wanted to take local transportation to our hotel but we had a really difficult time figuring out which bus it was (even though a complimentary option was advertised for surrounding hotels!).

We got an Uber to the hotel and agreed that our appetite was through the roof, so we headed to a place called Shake Shack. While I was there, I should have looked at other peoples meals so that I would’ve known how small the burgers were… I would’ve gotten a double or at least fries and a milkshake. Surprisingly, the one mini burger turned out to be quite satisfying.

Afterwards, we got ready for the sunset boat tour and walked to the harbor. Our tour guide was informative (and easy on the ears). It was cloudy and quite chilly – my breath was visible! Unfortunately, the sun wasn’t interested in a grand departure, so we didn’t get to see rich colors while on the water. I learned a bit and I’m glad I opted in for the tour because originally, I wasn’t interested in absorbing a history lesson.

Next up, we caught an Uber to go to dinner at a restaurant called Local 149. Our driver was so obnoxious in a way where he wanted to seem like the big champ that everyone liked but his comments were arrogant, problematic and douchey. Who brings up politics with a complete stranger? It was quite the gamble. Anyway – he drops us off at the restaurant and we get a table. I was famished! I ordered a plate of coconut Thai chili mussels and a fried Flutternutter (something new I tried and enjoyed immensely). Tiffany wanted salmon but after some encouragement, she tried the mussels…. and swapped her order! Our food was tasty! We were satisfied and had regained energy to begin the night of fun.

We stood in line for about 15 minutes, striking up conversation with locals. We thought we were in line for The W but we were actually in line for another venue. The other spot charged a $30 cover which we weren’t interested in. Feeling a bit defeated, we decided to walk around to see what was there and we stumbled upon The W anyway (we thought it was closed or limited to hotel guests only but they let us in). There was an awkward moment at the bar… fortunately it was amended with free drinks. The DJ was so good! We found our spot amongst the crowd and enjoyed the music for the rest of the night until closing.

June 26TH

I slept in until about 10 AM – we had a long night before and there would be a long day ahead of us. This was the last full day in Boston, so we had to make the most of it! We realized last night, that the place we Ubered to was fairly close. Brunch was definitely within walking distance. Today was the day I’d reach my step goal ;). Originally, we had ours eyes set on Lookout Bar for brunch but the dining area was full. Read: secure reservations before big city trips. I asked the host if he could recommend another place and he mentioned Committee so we went there instead.

Once again: since I’m out somewhere new, I want to try something new! I got a Greek styled omelette, called “kayiannas” and a large not-so sweet pastry called “bougatsa” which would’ve been amazing with hot tea. Everything was just right: new, pleasing and just enough. I’m glad there weren’t any leftovers during our stay because we didn’t have a microwave in our hotel. After brekkie, the idea of drinks at Lookout Bar came back to mind. It was such a lovely view. Time was spent sunbathing, drinking and taking in the scenery before resuming our trek.

The next stop was Boston Public Garden. Or is it Boston Commons? Upon arrival, we heard a liberal activist bringing people together while encouraging unity and acceptance. There was an available bench near Frog Pond where we saw a lot of children playing in the lake and a couple of park patrol security riding on horses. How fitting. There were a few playgrounds. You could see the different activities happening as people socially distanced themselves… and it reminded me of what life was like before COVID-19.

Chinatown was the final stop for the day. It was a 20 minute walk from where we were. Just our luck, we happened to enter through the back of Chinatown so, we explored it in reverse. Once we got to the main entry, pictures were taken and compliments were received. After resting for a bit, it was time to look for a place to eat! We went to the Spice House and I got some vegetable dumplings.

After eating, I was in dire need of a nap. We took in plenty of sun, gotten plenty of steps so it was time to rest before heading out for dinner and getting ready for the early morning flight back home. There was a bar close by called Roxanne’s. We learned that most of these places require reservations (of course I wouldn’t expect anything less). We got comfy at the bar and I got fried buffalo cauliflower and she got mac & cheese dish. We had some pretty interesting drinks: mine had coconut milk and tasted light and refreshing. The night cap was a great way to end this quick getaway, especially because there was reflection and shared aspirations for the future.

I enjoyed Boston I want to see more of it when I return.

a video

D.C. | Summer 2021

Posted on Posted in Here & ThereTagged , , , Leave a comment

Another big city, ladies and gents.

My friend had recently moved to Arlington, VA. I imagined it’d be a little difficult moving to a new city and starting over. So I chose a weekend to head up there and see her. Although I’m used to flying, I figured I’d drive since it was within my five hour road trip limit. The drive made me wonder if I’m gonna bring my five hour limit down to 4 1/2 hours. Ha! We’ll see! I left Friday after work, around 1 PM (or at least that was my intention). There were a couple of moments when traffic slowed down. I went during Fourth of July weekend. I reached her place around 7 PM. After a long drive you don’t really want to go to anything but relax and eat so that’s what we did.  We drove to a strip-like area in Shirlington and went to an Indian restaurant. I ordered a vegetable dish and extra garlic naan (which I love!). After staying up for a bit to chat, I hit the hay. Ya girl was TIRED.

After taking her dog, Georgie, out for a walk, we headed to brunch. The place we went was called Chadwicks, located in Old Town Alexandria. I forgot what I ordered (it was probably French toast because that is my all-time favorite) but whatever it was, I inhaled it. There was a cute poodle mix that sat near us – I had to get a picture of him because it was still a puppy and he was big and fluffy. After eating, we headed over to the waterfront park. Plenty of people were enjoying the weather, kids were running around and a band was playing music. It was so lively! We checked out Old Town some more and took some photos by the marina. We came across a shop called Lou Lou and decided to pop in (mainly because it was SO hot outside). The vibe was cute and hipster. There was a swing photo op toward the left after walking inside, (good marketing, btw). I usually don’t make impulsive purchases and I’m not big on souvenirs but if something speaks to me, then I’m all in! There was a plaque about King Street and it said you can reach the end in about 15 minutes but it certainly didn’t feel like it. During our stroll, I took a couple of pictures near Franklin P. Backus courthouse (I was impressed by the architecture so I had to stop). JuJu got Boba tea and we also made a pitstop in H&M. I imagined we’d have more time to check out a few more shops but the sky looked a bit intimidating so we headed back home to rest before heading out again.

That night, we were determined to go out! So, we pre-gamed a little bit (2 shots), requested an Uber and went to a club called Decades. Upon arrival, I realized the crowd was bit younger (but pretty diverse). I prefer a place with a more classy atmosphere, space to dance, converse and get comfortable (I’m more so into lounges). It was a spur of the moment kind of choice – but not bad. They played decent music but it was way too crowded and people were pushing on the way upstairs. I was completely turned off by the bouncer’s attitude (gag!) I just don’t ever wanna go back to this place. BUT. JuJu seemed to really enjoy herself and that mattered more to me than everything else that night.

The next day was Fourth of July and I learned that my friend, Sezin (who used to be my neighbor while I studied abroad in Turkey) didn’t live far from JuJu. Sezin picked me up and we went to a restaurant in Southwest Washington called Coladas. We spent time at the Wharf marina in DC. It had to be about 7 years since the last time I saw her, so we tried to catch up as much as we could while exploring the area. I stopped at Praline Bakery to order vanilla and Oreo macaroons . Afterwards, we took a mini tour of the area: we drove through Georgetown University, drove by the National Museum of American History, the National Mall, the Holocaust Memorial Museum and The Smithsonian Institution Building but we couldn’t get close to many of the places because they were blocked off by security.

When I got back to my JuJu’s house, we thought it’d be a good idea to check out the pool. It wasn’t very hot anymore and much of the pool was in the shade by the time we got there so we didn’t get in. One of her neighbors recommended checking out Ruth’s Chris in Crystal (a small city not too far from Arlington). We didn’t have any plans for how we’d spend the Fourth of July so that was good timing. We went and found seats at the bar. There was about an hour left until the sun set. We had a great view because the restaurant had panoramic windows, so we got to see fireworks happening in different areas. The only downside was that they were small. It was a stress-free, relaxing way to spend the holiday.

Istanbul, Turkey Spring ’15

Posted on Posted in Here & ThereTagged , , , , , Leave a comment

Get on a plane, leave the country, live there for four and a half months and pay rent – all for the first time and by myself? Challenge accepted. I just had to get out the country and experience a different, non-westernized culture. I wanted to be somewhere that was unfamiliar to me – language, food, traffic, social norms, religion… you name it.

Keep in mind: I had zero living and transportation arrangements, despite working in the International Programs Center of UNCG. I did not want to live on campus nor did I want a roommate, so I was determined to find a place of my own. Thankfully, everything I wanted fell in place. Aslı, a friend of an acquaintance named Cansu, picked me up from the airport and I stayed with Cansu for a few days until I found a studio.

The night before
Typical breakfast
The longest stretch of the trip
Panorama view of the studio

The studio apartment was right next to my university (which was Yeditepe) in Kayışdağı Mahallesi, Ataşehir/Istanbul.

Note: The first thing I noticed was the traffic – it was like organized chaos. Many drivers disregarded the road markings, signs and red lights  (only if there were no approaching cars). Initially, I was scared to cross the street. You learn to go when you see others move and eventually, you get the hang of things.

I realized how much UNCG  held my hand through-out my college experience, when I expected the same student-catering atmosphere at Yeditepe. I thought I would have to figure out many things on my own. Fortunately, there was a group on campus that assisted incoming international students with residence visas, tours, parties (super important), transportation cards, classes and much more.

exploring a little
first night out!

Another note: There are many stray cats and dogs in Turkey, so keep that in mind if animals make you nervous. They walk around rather closely and the city is theirs! You may catch a cat snoozing on the patio of a bar or see a dog asleep in the front yard of a business. They’re really nice!

If I wasn’t in class or enjoying quiet time in my studio, then you could find me:

  • on a group trip,
  • a kickback,
  • face-timing at the Kafeinhous Coffee,
  • at one of many bars (…just to socialize),
  • Taksim Square,
  • Kadıköy (relaxing by the Bosporus) or
  • İstiklal Caddesi

Kyle ate to his hearts content
Galata Tower
Pamukkale
Boat Party on the Bosporus
Cappadocia/ Kapadokya

Here’s a not-so-fun fact: Smiling can be interpreted as somewhat… suggestive toward some men, so be mindful! I smile a lot when I’m nervous but I also don’t break eye contact, so I can kinda see how it’s perceived, though I don’t agree with it.  I’m not justifying any inappropriate advances nor am I suggesting anyone change themselves. Just be cognizant of how your expressions and mannerism may be perceived. Yes, that includes clothing.

Speaking of clothing – I guess it doesn’t matter what you wear. I was once sitting by the Bosporus by myself, in broad daylight, wearing all black (leather jacket, leggings and tennis shoes) and – to keep a long story short – a man tried to offer food and money for sex. For the life of me, I didn’t understand why ANYONE would approach a woman sitting alone in daylight and make such a request. Perhaps it was caused by his perception of African American women due to the media and the fact that I was alone? I still try to make sense of it to this day.

On a lighter note – I’d like to mention Çağan Kahraman, my “abi” or older brother. He gave me the run down on many things. I met him while he studied abroad at UNCG, fall semester of 2014. We took a road trip to İzmir, his hometown. I got to meet his family and check out some local areas. İzmir was beautiful and so were its people. I felt much more “free” in İzmir – perhaps because there were less buildings and people – I LOVED it.

it was soo good
candid!
the taxi driver was hilarious
His family was so warm and welcoming
Cemal!
self stick photo attempt #3
self stick photo attempt #1
self stick photo attempt #2

I experienced different modes of transportation during my stay. In the middle photo, just above this section, we were on a large ship that carries cars under the deck. I was amazed because I’d never seen a thing like it before! There is also the Mamaray that goes under the Bosporus Strait and “dolmuş“, which are small buses packed full of people.

While in the Eastern Hemisphere, I knew I had to visit another country – time was running out. Some of the international students I spent time with were planning a trip to Greece. Despite being low on funds, I opted in and I’m so glad I did! Traveling to this side of the world is pricey and there was no guarantee I would be back soon, so why not?! We booked our plane ticket, headed to Athens and stayed in a hostel (this was my first time staying in one and expected the worse but it was actually pleasant). I think most people have reservations about booking a hostel because it sounds just like “hostile”.  Anyway, the trip highlights were The Acropolis of Athens (Parthenon and Colosseum, too), the penile figures and key-chains, and the island Aegina.  I met a Alpha Kappa Psi brother (from California) while in Greece which I did not expect at all, until I remembered that it is the largest business fraternity.

Barrett in deep thought while Kyle order your execution.
Aegina’s ruins
I don’t know what kind of boat we were in but it felt like I was inside of a skipping rock – that’s how fast it moved!

My hair suffered in Greece – but it was my own fault. I had no moisturizer nor did I have any oil. Just water… my hair was oh-so dry. Never again will I make such a horrendous mistake.

I came across some great personalities and interesting people, however; there is one person I met much too late during my stay. His name is Ömer Taş. We explored a handful of sites and a few desserts too, like pişmaniye, künefe, lokma and baklava. He took so many pictures and whenever I look at them I feel such strong nostalgia. Towards, the end, Ömer really made Turkey feel like a second home. Even as I type this, I feel sad because I left so much beauty and warmth behind… I truly wish I had stayed a little longer. ◊