If you are going to San Francisco

I've been in SF twice and loved the city's vibe. There is just one thing that I really don't like about the city: the weather.

I prefer LA's weather. SF's has a very particular climate, it's like you are experiencing the Fall, Autumn, Spring and Summer in just one day. In the beginning of the day it is very cold, then it gets better and around lunch time is already very hot, then the thermometer starts descending again. It's really weird. And it's also hard to get an appropriate wardrobe to this clime variation. 

Yes, I know that when people start chatting about weather when they don't have much to say... Believe me, I have lots of things to say about SF.

SF makes me recall my birthplace, Lisbon. I think that somehow they are twin cities. It's not only about the golden gate bridge (similar to 25 de Abril bridge in Lisbon), they are both very bright and in some areas they are almost dodgy in a charming and very unique way. 

Can you spot any difference? One is 25 de Abril bridge, Lisbon and the other is the Golden Gate Bridge, SF

Things that I recommend in 48h to 72h in SF (in fast pace mode):

- Visit Chinatown. It's the biggest and more authentic Chinatown (if compared with DC and Chicago's Chinatown)  that I visited so far in the US. There you can find groceries shops, crappy shops selling the same stuff and low rated restaurants. 

- Go to the pier to say hi to the sea lions and try the chowder served in a sourdough bread. Forget the area around unless you enjoy tourist traps.

- The Golden Gate Bridge is a highlight and you cannot miss it. There is a park close where you can take a walk, visit museums or the Japanese Tea Garden and have a cup of green tea while enjoying the lake view. 

- Murals are my fav type of art. I love the vibrant colors that Hispanic artists usually use. Mission neighborhood is another must see in SF.

- Castro is part of SF's experience. It's a symbol of Freedom. Since I watched Milk, I knew that I wanted to visit it and pay my respect to all people that were discriminated based on sexual orientation. In Castro, we had two amazing experiences. We met a gay rights activist that helped HIV patients and told us about Castro during the 80's and 90's. And we had a great dinner in Frances (book in advance or go there very early). 

- First time I went to SF I couldn't visit Japantown. On my second time I went there and I enjoyed every minute I spent checking the Japanese shops. It's a modest preview of Tokyo. If you have time, I highly recommend it.

- I also went to Saigon town to have a bahn mi in a whole-in-the-wall Vietnamese sandwich shop (cash only). And it is worth the bus ride. The area is not glamorous as Japan town or vibrant as Chinatown. It's a dodgy area.  

- Take a ride in the cable car. Just one is enough. Unless you really are into cable cars and you have lots of time.

You can find more info about SF in my Tripadvisor profile.

Check my travel pics on Tumblr

Welcome to Miami

Miami has a well  deserved reputation in the US for being trashy.

For some reason the #1 attraction on Tripadvisor is a shooting range and the #2 is a crappy zoo where visitants hug wild animals.

If you are into urban beach, showing off, drinking and swimming with dolphins there is a big probability you will enjoy it.

The two best things about Miami are the melting pot of Latino and Caribbean cuisines and  proximity with the Everglades, just a 40 minutes drive.

A weekend trip is enough.

My recommendations for a 48h trip are:

First day

- go to the Everglades NP. During the wet season, Shark Valley has a very interesting tram tour.

You can spot wildlife and learn more about the Everglades. Namely about the damages caused by the Burmese pitons.
On the dry season the temperatures are too high to walk around and you wouldn't see many animals.

- Quick visit to the Big Cypress National Preserve. Here you can see alligators and turtles.

- Take a look on the Clyde Buthcher's Big Cypress Gallery.
The pics are stunning. Unfortunately they are way over my budget.

- Have a Cuban meal in Palacio de Los Jugos. It's not a fancy place (no stiletto shoes required). It's all about the food. Try the lechon with fried yucca and rice and beans.

The natural juices are delicious but too sugary for my taste.

Second day

- in the early morning check the art deco architecture in Miami Beach. 

- Stop by Tap Tap to enjoy Haitian food. Malanga fritters with watercress sauce and goat stew are delicious.

- Go to the Cuban neighborhood. It's just 2 or 3 blocks with little to see or do. Just enjoy the vibe, and chat with the locals in the domino park A.K.A. Maximo Gomez park.

- Take a look in the Financial District and walk towards Brickell Key, a small island connected by a bridge.

- Don't miss the metromover. It's a good way to travel or connect around and check the skyline. 

- Once in the airport try the guava pastries and ham croquetas in the Versailles, a famous Cuban coffee shop. Or you can go to their original location in calle ocho.

Keep in mind that downtown is dodgy. There is nothing to see or do. Specially during the weekends and holidays, everything is closed.

Be aware that public transportation is inefficient and driving is a big no no, because of the traffic especially in miami beach. 

The metro to the airport runs every half hour on sundays/holidays. 

Metromover and trolley are free of charge.

Check my pics on http://helenalguerra.tumblr.com/

Japan in DC

My first experience in DC was far from great. Coming from a big city like Chicago it was hard to adjust to a smaller place. But DC improved a lot these two last years. Areas that before were dodgy are now booming and there are plenty of new places.

The city is finally experiencing some good times. But I still miss the Chicago's skyline and Midwest kindness. 

DC is a charming city and you can walk almost everywhere. The cherry blossom makes it even more beautiful. During the first weeks of spring, the cherry trees start blooming and the Mall area turns pink. Seeing it from my rooftop, it looks like sweet cotton.

My favorite spot to see the blooming is around the Potomac river at night, close to the Jefferson Memorial or around the pool in the Lincoln Memorial. The sunset light makes it even more spectacular. And it's not so crowded at night... Still lots of people.

BTW, it's not supposed to touch, shake or take flowers or step in the roots. If you go to the Mall, you'll see lots of people doing these stupid things that cause serious damage in the trees. 

Another highlight during the spring is the Sakura Matsuri Street Festival ($10/pp), in Pennsylvania St. 

This is the moment to have some Japanese food and buy a Hello Kitty (cash only). 
There you can find shops, food stalls, food demonstrations and performances. And  people wearing customs. 

The only issue is the crowd of people and lines for food, it looks like Shibuya at rush hour. 
My advise is to go on the early side to avoid it.

Another nice thing about this time of the year is the street performances. There are many events happening in order to celebrate the cherry blossom and they are for free.

A guide to authentic ethnic food in Chicago

I’m a TripAdvisor expert in Chicago and DC, I have almost 500 contributions in Chicago and 385 in DC. You can check my ratings, reviews and pics here 

Chicago is a very diverse city. I lived in an African American neighborhood (Hyde Park). In the local grocery shop (my beloved Hyde Park Produce) I spoke Spanish with the staff and there I could find ingredients and food from different places in the world. During the time I lived in Chicago, I tried many different cuisines and I met people from different places. Moving from Lisbon, a small and non-diverse city, this was a lifetime experience that I’ll never forget. I got more used to different flavors and opened to try different types of food. Despite the cold weather, Chicago is my fav city.

Nuevo León

The First time I had real Mexican food was in this restaurant.
It's located in a very authentic and colorful Mexican neighborhood, Pilsen. There you can find panaderias and places where you can get your palm read.
If you are taking the metro pay attention to the 18th street station murals.
Sometimes there are long lines, but they move fast.
They give you a couple of small complimentary dishes: chicken soup or small tacos and nachos.
Food is greasy but tasty and it comes in huge portions... It's very decadent!
Queso con chorizo was one of my fav appetizers or even for main dish. It's very filling, especially after all the complimentary appetizers! After you have it,  you will hardly have room for more food. 

If you like Mexican art go to the National Museum of Mexican Art. It's located a few blocks away from the metro station and it's free of charge.
Take a look in the museum shop. It has beautiful Mexican handicrafts.

Birrieria Zaragoza

You need to drive or take a cab. Birrieria Zaragoza is close to Midway airport. I definitely wouldn’t recommend taking public transportation.

This place is a hole – in – the – wall kind of joint. The menu is limited to one dish: juicy goat meat wrapped in tortillas.  This a simple place with simple food but home cooked to perfection. You cannot go wrong.

4 SuyosPeruvian Cuisine

This restaurant became one of my fav Peruvian in Chi. it’s a bit pricey compared with other Peruvian restaurants but the food quality is very good. There you can find exquisite Peruvian dishes that are not so common in other Peruvian restaurants in Chicago. I highly recommend the ceviche, it's very fresh and tasty. 

Paladar

I love Cuban food so I had to try it. Paladar is famous for drinks, namely rum cocktails. But about that I cannot tell much. I'm more on the food side. 

The chicken empanadas are delicious, the filling is very tasty. For main dish I recommend the chivo. It's a slow cooked goat stew that I had with fried yucca and fufu.  

Ruby’s Fast Food

If you are passing by you wouldn't believe that this is one of the best ethnic restaurants in Chicago. It's a tinny place with no decor, just a few tables and a TV. The food is to die for. No fast food, only slow cooked food. On weekends there is a buffet for lunch($8,45/pp) with some options: different types of meat stews, fish, several sides and desserts. 's a good opportunity to taste different types of Filipino food. Everything is great. Try the cassada, I had at least 2 of it. Staff and Filipino people are extremely friendly.

Ruby's was featured on Bizarre Foods tv show. 

Nhu lan

I really like Vietnamese cuisine, namely bahn mi sandwiches. I like the freshness of the mix of raw veggies plus the baguette crispiness. 

This place is extremely small, just 2 tables with a couple of seats each. And it's very busy.

I tasted the pork belly pate and the lemongrass chicken. Both were delicious, very fresh and full of flavor. And we paid around $4 for each.

I also had the mango tapioca smoothie but it was too sugary. 

Santouka (Mitsuwa Mall)

This restaurant is located in a large Japanese mall with several stores and supermarket. I had great ramen noodles in Santouka. It's the busiest restaurant there. I had ramen with salty broth and extra pork belly. The broth was very rich. It was insane. 

DC Restaurant Guide

Good weather is coming and soon DC will be full of tourists. The city has many attractions and is very walkable. Restaurants are not as great as in Chicago or NYC but the city is growing fast and there are some places that you shouldn't miss.

I’m still exploring the food options but I already have some favorites.

Brunch/ Lunch

Birch& Barley 

Contemporary American cuisine, good for brunch, lunch and dinner. Love the bread basket. It’s one of my top 5 places in DC.

FoundingFarmers 

Good southern food; downside always crowded and very noisy

Le Diplomate 

Good French food style. Always crowded.

The Pig 

Pleasant surprise. Very meaty menu. Farm - to - table concept. Little Pig platter is good for sharing.

Tortilla Cafe

Simple but tasty Salvadorian food. Yucca and meat pupusas are recommended. So far one of the best places in Capitol Hill. It’s always crowded. Very cheap. Cash only.

Keren Coffee Shop

This place has many good reviews on Yelp but I wasn't so sure about it until I give it a try. It’s a hole in the wall (last time I went there, they were doing some renovation). Delicious Ethiopian food, good for sharing, cheap and very attentive service. I went there for dinner but I would recommend it for brunch because it’s heavy food.

Swahili Village Restaurant

This place is located outside DC, it’s close to IKEA in College Park MD. So far it’s the best African food I ever had (I have to say that I don’t know much about African cuisine). It’s homemade Kenyan food. Delicious and very filling.

Mitsitam

If you are in the Mall area the restaurant of The National Museum of the American Indian has a great restaurant. Delicious ethnic food, with several options but a bit pricey for a cafeteria.

Kafe Leopold

It’s the best place to have food in Georgetown (very poor choices in this area). The brunch menu is always great. I highly recommend the Austrian pastries. Excellent Sacher!

Los Hermanos

If you are in Columbia Heights area, you should try this place. The owner, a nice Dominican lady, cooks to perfection. They have a buffet, you can pick different types of food: meat stews, fish, sides and mix everything in the same plate. Great value for money.

Central Michel Richard

Best burger in DC so far! Too fancy for my taste, but the burger is worth it. Also love the bread basket (OK, you already got that I love bread!!).

Maine fish market

This is the best place to get seafood. There you can find blue crabs, oysters, fish, shrimp… All is fresh and affordable. For a couple of $ they steam the seafood for you. The downside is that they don’t have a place to seat and eat.

Dinner

Rasika

Upscale modern Indian food. Delicious food, very creative. There are 2 locations, I prefer the one in the West End, its bigger and it seems easier to find a table there.

Zaytinia

It’s my fav Jose Andres restaurant. It’s a Mediterranean tapas style, a little pricey but great quality. Very creative.

Bistro duCoin 

I just went there once but I fell in love with this place. It serves good homemade style French food. It doesn't take reservations and it’s always crowded.

Little serow

This is a very popular and tiny Thai place; you have to be prepared to wait. It opens at 6pm. At 5.15 I was already waiting in line… Yes, there was already a long line. Fortunately we got a table in the first round. We tried to go there before and we weren't able to get a spot. They just have a prix-fixe menu of $45/pp. It includes several small dishes. The food is very spicy.

Kotobuki

This is my fav Japanese restaurant in DC. It’s not a hard choice since there are no other decent options. The place is very authentic and the ingredients are fresh and high quality. We always have the unadon set. It’s very similar in quality with the one we had in Tokyo. I also recommend the sashimi platter. I’m not a huge fan of the rolls.

Sichuan Pavillion

I’m not a fan of Chinese food, maybe because it’s hard to find a good Chinese restaurant. My food experiences in Chinatown’s are not memorable. This is the best Chinese food I have had in the US.

El Chalan

It’s my fav Peruvian restaurant in DC. It serves simple traditional homemade style food. Try the ceviche. The seco de cordero is amazing, very rich though.

Hank’s

I like to go to Hank’s just to have oysters. They are fresh and good quality. Besides it the menu is not exciting. 

Snacks

AstroDoughnuts

It’s my fav spot in downtown to satisfy my (not very) sweet tooth. The crème brulee doughnut is terrific.

 
Baked& Wired

This is one of the busiest places in Georgetown. There is always a huge line. Since I’m not a cupcake person, I recommend the pies.

Kramerbooks

It’s a good spot to have a piece of pie and a coffee.

SweetDiablo

Despite the name (BTW, terrible choice), this is a Portuguese pastry shop. There you can find egg tarts and several other Portuguese delicatessen. Beautiful Portuguese décor, the owner is super friendly.