life, travel, stories – Join the journey, Love Raven
Dear Reader I recently saw the musical Hamilton and naturally, I’m chockablock with opinions. I had, of course, heard of Hamilton long before Lin Manuel Miranda’s brainchild exploded onto the scene in 2015 (I mean Hamilton is on the $10 bill after all). My first real introduction to Alexander Hamilton was in my eighth-grade U.S. history... Continue Reading →
Dear Reader If you’re looking for flight deals to Europe, a good bet would be to check out dead-of-winter, not-around-the-holidays dates. However, as you hover your cursor over the “buy now” button, you may think to yourself — is it even worth it to travel to Europe in the winter? The answer, as it is... Continue Reading →
Dear Reader, El Salvador is a beautiful country but, I’ll be straight with you, it’s not in the best shape. By learning about Latin America in my college courses, I have become familiar with the migration situation, drug trafficking, and poverty. However, actually visiting a location is a whole other education. I recently took a... Continue Reading →
Dear Reader, Today, I am writing to you from the “small but beautiful” Central American country of El Salvador. I use quotes here because that description was provided to me years ago by a maintenance woman at my graduate student dormitory, as she discussed her home country with me. I am in El Salvador on... Continue Reading →
Dear Reader, As I approach the immigration line at the Monseñor Óscar Arnulfo Romero International Airport in San Salvador, El Salvador, a man with a migración badge asks me for my pasaporte. I pat my crossbody bag (read: my fanny pack worn as a purse) and to my dismay, I realize that the hard, familiar... Continue Reading →
Dear Reader, Is it worth the hype? That’s the question I kept asking myself as more than one person talked up Cambridge’s A4cade. What is A4cade (probably pronounced “arcade”)? It’s a speakeasy-style, club-bar, arcade joint that has fancy cocktails and gooey grilled cheese sandwiches. That sentence alone is enough to entice me, but what is... Continue Reading →
Dear Reader, What’s so special about tall ships? If you are native to Erie, Pennsylvania, you already know the answer. Enclosed by Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, New York, and Canada, Lake Erie is the fourth largest and shallowest of the five Great Lakes. Today, I am typing to you from one of Lake Erie’s southern borders... Continue Reading →
Dear Reader, Glowing, festive lights are set against the dimming evening sky, and I am happy. Today, my magical twilight rendezvous takes place at the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium. Although I’m not a fan of animals, I can find great amusement in zoos (more here). This zoo outing, however, was not for the purpose... Continue Reading →
Dear Reader, “Helluva Burger, Heavenly Shake” — this is true. If you are in the Pittsburgh, PA area and you want to try an exceptional (and, frankly, high-caloric) meal, do consider Burgatory. I find Burgatory to be special for a few reasons. First, the company works with local dairies, butchers, and other producers to make... Continue Reading →
Dear Reader, Are you a fan of musicals? I have seen about two dozen musicals live (and a bunch more like Hairspray and Les Misérable on-screen). I have a general appreciation for musicals, but occasionally, one comes along about which I just don’t have anything positive to say (which is rare for me!). The musical... Continue Reading →
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