Chain bookstores such as Barnes & Noble are convenient, but visiting your local bookstores offer more of a unique and special experience.
Recently, I strolled into Changing Hands Bookstore in Phoenix, there is also a location in Mesa, Arizona. From the moment I stepped inside, I could feel the vibe: with a Book Bar set off to the left (First Draft Book Bar), where patrons quietly sipped draft beer and iced coffee, snacking on pastries, worked on laptops, or enjoyed the company of friends.
First Draft Book Bar
The atmosphere felt like it was crafted by someone who dreamt of this type of space and then shared it with the community. The staff could be your neighbor, or even your neighbor’s kid. It is a retail space, selling both new and used books, yet it exudes a tranquil and relaxed ambiance with many genres spanning the aisles.
I spent about an hour browsing through the shelves and ended up purchasing a children’s book in Spanish, “Huevos verdes con Jamon,” along with a mini notebook to throw in my handbag for quick notes. Afterward, I settled into a seat at the Book Bar and ordered an Iced Vanilla Latte, enjoying another hour there.
Huevos verdes con jamon – Iced Vanilla Latte
Towards the back, I noticed a service counter where people exchanged books for credit. As well as meeting rooms available for reservation. Perfect for book club gatherings.
While I still enjoy visiting Barnes & Noble, I have added local bookstores to my must-visit list as well. When it comes to pricing, it is worth noting that local bookstores may not compete with Amazon’s prices, they often charge a bit more, so do yourself a favor and do not search while there. However, go in knowing that your dollars support a local business.
Changing Hands Bookstore Meeting Space
Be sure to check their calendar of events (www.changinghands.com); Changing Hands frequently hosts book launches, author readings, teen book clubs, and a variety of other engaging events.
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico’s Rhythms of the Night by Vallarta Adventures
When we went to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, I had one thing in mind, to RELAX. I did not want to do the usual excursion, city hopping, out all hours of the night, that we usually do. Sleeping, eating, and sitting by the pool were the only things on the agenda.
View from Oceanview AirBnB in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Click for Listing.
Until I stumbled upon a Puerto Vallarta post in one of the travel groups, suggesting that anyone going to Puerto Vallarta MUST do, “Rhythms of the Night” by Vallarta Adventures. Initially it was just my husband, me, my best friend, and her husband travelling, but my daughter talked us into letting her come along. My friend then brought her daughter as well.
The girls enjoying the beach in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Phoenix to Puerto Vallarta
We flew from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport to Puerto Vallarta International Airport, non-stop. It was important to me to leave the country, with a short flight time. Our flight was two and half hours.
We booked this Airbnb with a gorgeous view. The view was mandatory considering that my agenda consisted of merely breathing, lounging, eating, and sitting by the pool.
We headed into the city one of the days, for about three hours, but the activity that had every one of us in amazement was the Rhythms of the Night sunset cruise, dinner, and show.
Dinner in the city Puerto Vallarta, Mexico La Madalena Restaurant
Puerto Vallarta’s Rhythms of the Night
I purchased tickets to the show in advance from Puerto Vallarta Tours, $116 for adults and $109 for kids, 6-17 years old. We received 30% off for booking more than four days in advance. Regular or same-day pricing was $165 for adults and $155 for kids.
TIP 1: Book more than four days in advance to take advantage of 30% off regular ticket pricing.
The day of the tour, I used my very beginner Spanish to hale us a taxi and to get us to the dock where we boarded the boat. Honestly, you do not need to know Spanish to get a taxi and arrive at your destination safely. However, I find every opportunity to practice.
Once we arrived at the ferry station, we made our way to the line where we presented our tickets, then we went through a security check. Yes, a security check, like in the airport. Check the Vallarta Adventures website for prohibited items.
We boarded the boat, where there was a bar and plenty seating. I suggest getting there well before departure, so your group can sit together. The suggested arrival time is 45 minutes prior to departure.
We arrived on the island where the Rhythms of the Night show takes place in about 30-45 minutes. There was onboard entertainment, where they sang American songs, most people would be familiar with. People danced and sang along.
It is a whole experience as soon as you step foot on the boat, let alone once you make it to the tiki lit island.
Review Puerto Vallarta’s-Rhythms of the Night by Vallarta Adventures Tiki Island Arrival
TIP 2: Book the sunset cruise time. There is an earlier day show, but the sunset booking time is more exquisite.
We were seated in designated areas around the island and assigned a dinner station. Dinner was buffet style. We had a traditional Mexican dinner.
We had a waiter who served drinks and any additional items you may want from the buffet.
After about an hour and a half, the staff began to clear the tables, and we waited to be dismissed.
TIP 3: Use the restroom before you head to the stadium for the show.
We travelled to the stadium up large, flat, rocked stairs. We stood in line for about 15 minutes before we could enter the stadium. This activity is not recommended if you have difficulties doing a slight hike.
I would like to describe the show, but it is indescribable. It is something to be experienced. Here is glimpse of the amazingness we witnessed.
Review Puerto Vallarta’s-Rhythms of the Night by Vallarta Adventures
The entire crew from start to finish conducted this experience flawlessly. If you need any more convincing, check their reviews. Perfection.
Review Puerto Vallarta’s-Rhythms of the Night by Vallarta Adventures
Cost & Booking
Total Cost: $341 (included ferry ride, dinner, and show for three people)
We bought our first home in 2018, and like many others, the first thing we thought was, let’s go shopping!
Well, that’s what we though, but for us, that was not an actual reality after dishing out closing and down payment funds. So what did we do when we needed a dining room table at a reasonable cost? We DIY ourselves a farmhouse kitchen table. I began researching and found the amazing Ana White. Ana White provides free, printable, and easy to follow woodworking plans for hundreds of types of projects.
Ana states in the plans that only two tools (drill and a saw) and $50 are needed to build and complete the DIY farmhouse kitchen table and immediately my husband was skeptical.
TIP: Your local home improvement store will make cuts for you for free if you do not own a saw. Some policies charge .25-.50 cents per cut after two cuts.
We are not woodworkers by trade, so we were not sure if the tool assessment or cost was accurate. I said to my husband, we should go price the materials. We did just that at our local home improvement store, and the $50 cost was spot on (see editor’s note).
For us, all the lumber and screws were about $55 with local taxes. We had to buy stain and paint in the color we preferred, so that was an additional cost and if you do not have a drill, that will also be an expense. A drill will be cost worthy for future projects, if you plan to build other projects around your home, so consider it an investment.
Ana provides a cut list and specific instruction in each of her plans to make it simple to shop for what you will need at the home improvement store.
It took us a weekend to build the table. We sanded, stained, and painted over the next week. We let the table cure for about three days before we put it to use. We built the table inside the house, otherwise it would not fit through the doorway once we completed it. The length of the table is 8 feet, and width is about 4 feet. From start to finish, total completion time was 10 days, with having to go work in between.
Editors Note: This post was originally published August 19, 2019 and has been revamped and updated for comprehensiveness.
Our DIY farmhouse kitchen table is still our main dining table 5 years later, in 2024.
Jackson’s Catfish Corner was recommended by someone I met online that was from the area. It was the perfect off the plane, grab something to eat meal. The catfish was seasoned well, the fries were great. If you have to choose between the sandwich and the strips, get the strips. The side sauce is A1.
This is what we ordered: 1/2 Fillet Catfish Strips with Hushpuppies – $16.99 Catfish Sandwich – $12.99 Total Bill: $31.95
Location Visited: 2218 S. Jackson Street Seattle, WA 98144
Communion Restaurant & Bar
Let me start by saying, make sure you make a reservation well in advance. I made our reservation about 10 days ahead of time, and there was only one early 4PM dinner reservations left. We almost opted out, but decided to follow through, and I am so happy we did. Everything from the host, our waitress, to the food was AMAZING! The fried chicken was probably the best fried chicken I have ever had outside my home. I was afraid of the pork chop, but my husband said we are on vacation, let’s try new things. It was delicious. We also had hoecakes, and macaroni and cheese. I love me a hoe cake, and macaroni and cheese always rounds out this type of meal.
This is what we ordered: Unc’s Wings – $21 Pork Chop – $42 Better Than Yo Grandma’s Mac & Cheese – $12 Sweet Potato Hoecakes – $8 Total Bill: $134.61
Location Visited: 2350 E. Union Street Seattle, WA 98122
Biscuit Bitch
The biscuits at Biscuit Bitch were soft, fluffy, and buttery. I could not stop talking about how airy, and pillowy the biscuit was as I ate it. Even with the softness of the biscuit it did not fall apart, as we ate it.
Tip 1: Order a sandwich to eat then, and order one for later or for the following morning.
This is what we ordered: Bitchwich Sausage – $8.50 Bitchwich Hot Link – $9.00 Total Bill: $21.83
Tip 2: Order ahead to cut down on your wait, and be sure to arrive at the proper location. Two locations are blocks away from each other.
Pike Place Chowder
Apparently there is a local competition about who has the best clam chowder in the Seattle area. We asked about 7-10 people, and Pike Place Chowder won, paired with their online reviews. My husband or I eat clams, but we actually thought this was pretty good. I would not choose to eat clam chowder in general, but I am with someone else who would like to make this stop, I would not mind.
This is what we ordered: New England Clam Chowder – $15.95 (shared) Total Bill: $17.59
Tip: Upgrade to the Sourdough Bread Bowl
Location Visited: Pacific Place Shopping Center 600 Pine Street Seattle, WA 98101
Razzi’s Pizzeria Downtown
It was cold rainy night and we did not want to venture to far away from our hotel, and the concierge suggested Razzi’s Pizzeria. I thought it would at least be edible. Razzi’s turned out to be more than edible. If Razzi’s was in my local town, it would be on a weekly rotation. The pepperonis were so crispy and flavorful. I seen someone else order pesto on the side. I said to my husband, they must know what they’re doing, and they did! The wings were sauced great, and cooked just right. Razzi’s has a good thing going on for a quick, fast, and delicious meal. We noted Razzi’s as a spot we would come back to even if we were traveling with our kids.
This is what we ordered: Small Pepperoni Pizza – $17.00 BBQ Wings – $21 Total Bill: $44.93
Location Visited: Razzi’s Downtown 1314 Howell Street Seattle, WA 98101
Tip: If you see a parking space upon approaching Razzi’s, get it. Parking spaces are far and few between.
*Beverages, tax, tip, and some items were not listed in the total bill.
This is a practical list of hotels or Airbnb we have stayed in with and without the kids. We would stay at each of these hotels again. I did not include any hotels that we would not stay at again.
Tip 1: When traveling with our kids, I always choose a hotel that is a suite and has complimentary breakfast.
My favorite hotel brand to stay in with the kids is Embassy Suites by Hilton, and second is Residence Inn by Marriott. When it is just my husband and me, we stay in a Hilton, Hyatt, and sometimes a Marriott.
Tip 2: Pick 2-3 hotel brands you like or love and consistently stay at those brands to accrue points to redeem for free nights.
Sharonda Shariee - Life, Curiosity, Meaningful Experiences 