The Travel Chica

Live Simple. Consume Less. Experience More.

Quirky, small town America

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I have known about the RoadsideAmerica.com website for years, and I finally used it. Wytheville, Virginia On the way home from Charleston, South Carolina, we drove right by Wytheville.  I had done my research and was intrigued by the description of this commercial oddity.   This is what I love about quirky, small town America. […]

Charleston in Photos (Part 2)

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I fell in love with Charleston on my first trip. Usually when I fall in love with a city, I end up with 1,000 photos in just a few days. And that means you get a part 2 photo essay. It is a good thing Charleston is such a walkable and photogenic city.  After all […]

Charleston, I am in love

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Dear, Charleston –   I cannot believe I waited this long to meet you.  We only had a week together, but I am completely smitten. You have lots of great restaurants. You even have good beer. You are a bike-friendly city. And to top it off, you are absolutely gorgeous.   It is not just […]

Fourth of July Fireworks

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Last year I attempted my first fireworks photography. A friend with an incredible view of the downtown Columbus fireworks from her apartment balcony invited me to a party.  And she also invited her photography instructor who was kind enough to teach me a few things about fireworks photography. I wish you a happy fourth of […]

Loving Lowcountry and Southern Cuisine

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I blame Kristin.   When planning my trip to Charleston, I asked her for recommendations on where to eat as it seemed this southern girl from Nashville might know a few things about southern cities.  She replied with a list of 19 places to check out. Nineteen!   Charleston MUST have good food.   And […]

What to do with 3 hours in Charlotte

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It has been ages since I took a road trip. So I was secretly happy when I discovered that a flight to Charleston, South Carolina would cost over $400 and still take six hours of travel time. Looking at the map, Charlotte seemed the best place to stop.  A big city I had never visited […]

TOSRV Day 2 – What drove me to finish

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Approximately 2,500 people participated in TOSRV this year. I am not sure how many actually ride 105 miles back to Columbus the next day. Day 1 was challenging enough. I was exhausted when I arrived in Portsmouth. Many people hung out at Tracy Park where there was live music, food, and beer to celebrate. The […]

TOSRV Day 1 – Prayers and profanity

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I told you I didn’t want to do it. I dreaded it even more because of the weather forecast. My alarm went off at 5am. I wanted to eat at least an hour before starting the ride and didn’t want to risk rushing and forgetting something important. TOSRV (Tour of the Scioto River Valley) is […]

The Pearl

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It seemed as if the sign had been up forever, paper covering the windows. Who is this handsome newcomer? The lit-up sign and the name itself made me think it would be classy and comfortable and bring something special to the Columbus restaurant scene, in particular the Short North Arts District. I avoided the early […]