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tommy wrote: Tue Dec 27, 2022 12:51 pm

enframed wrote: Thu Dec 08, 2022 2:36 pm Going to Mexico City over New Year.

Never been. Like food, a little night life, nothing too touristy but wanna see some cool stuff...art galleries, museums.

Anyone have any recommendations?

I stayed in the La Condessa/Hipodromo neighborhood and had fun. It's more of a foodie/hip neighborhood. There's a cool goth/punk bar that has shows - El Real Under. The ruins in the city are kinda cool - Centro-Area 1. Restaurante El Cardenal was good. I liked the market that's in Centro-Area 7. The views up near the Castillo de Chapultepec are nice.

Thanks Tommy!

enframed wrote: Tue Dec 27, 2022 1:01 pm

tommy wrote: Tue Dec 27, 2022 12:51 pm

enframed wrote: Thu Dec 08, 2022 2:36 pm Going to Mexico City over New Year.

Never been. Like food, a little night life, nothing too touristy but wanna see some cool stuff...art galleries, museums.

Anyone have any recommendations?

I stayed in the La Condessa/Hipodromo neighborhood and had fun. It's more of a foodie/hip neighborhood. There's a cool goth/punk bar that has shows - El Real Under. The ruins in the city are kinda cool - Centro-Area 1. Restaurante El Cardenal was good. I liked the market that's in Centro-Area 7. The views up near the Castillo de Chapultepec are nice.

Thanks Tommy!

No prob. Have fun! Watch your wallet on the train, I had a friend get his stolen. Ubers are CHEAP - recommended to/from the airport at the very least (was like $7). All trips we did within the city were like $2 (pre COVID).

FM gonzochicago lived in Mexico City for a bit fairly recently - hit him up for ideas.

Trying to plan 10 days in France in March with wife and kids (9,12). I am in the wine industry so I know the deal with the wine regions. Trying to split the trip into Paris, a quick stop in Burgundy or Northern Rhone and then finish off the trip down south along the Mediterranean for kicking back. Looking for ideas off the beaten path in Paris. Trying to explore and avoid the usual tourist stuff as much as possible. We are not going to wait in line for hours to see the Mona Lisa. Museums, parks, thrift/unique shopping and food. Since this is a family trip we will be looking for great causal dining, but we will probably splurge one night. Been thinking of renting an apartment so that we can cook at home for some meals.

Any recommendations for Lyon or further South along the coast? Driving around vs. flying around?

RyanZ wrote: Fri Dec 30, 2022 11:27 pm Any recommendations for Lyon or further South along the coast? Driving around vs. flying around?

My travel experiences in France are limited to two visits to the French Alps in and around the city of Annecy. Incredible mountain and lake scenery there. Would recommend a stop there if you have time.

RyanZ wrote: Trying to plan 10 days in France in March with wife and kids (9,12). I am in the wine industry so I know the deal with the wine regions. Trying to split the trip into Paris, a quick stop in Burgundy or Northern Rhone and then finish off the trip down south along the Mediterranean for kicking back. Looking for ideas off the beaten path in Paris. Trying to explore and avoid the usual tourist stuff as much as possible. We are not going to wait in line for hours to see the Mona Lisa. Museums, parks, thrift/unique shopping and food. Since this is a family trip we will be looking for great causal dining, but we will probably splurge one night. Been thinking of renting an apartment so that we can cook at home for some meals.

Any recommendations for Lyon or further South along the coast? Driving around vs. flying around?

I haven't been to Paris since the '90s, so I got nothing firsthand. But a somm friend of mine who goes often is nuts for Le Chateaubriand, Septime, and Le Baratin for great food and no-bullshit wines. Not sure of the fanciness level of these restaurants, but I trust this man w/my life and I'd make it a point to visit at least one of them.

The Jura is just north of Lyon and could be fun and certainly not so touristy if your family is into mountain scenery and weird wine. Might be kinda cold in March, though.

I’m headed to Belize in a few days. Staying in San Pedro for a week. Any recommendations?

OrthodoxEaster wrote: Sat Dec 31, 2022 5:15 pm

RyanZ wrote: Trying to plan 10 days in France in March with wife and kids (9,12). I am in the wine industry so I know the deal with the wine regions. Trying to split the trip into Paris, a quick stop in Burgundy or Northern Rhone and then finish off the trip down south along the Mediterranean for kicking back. Looking for ideas off the beaten path in Paris. Trying to explore and avoid the usual tourist stuff as much as possible. We are not going to wait in line for hours to see the Mona Lisa. Museums, parks, thrift/unique shopping and food. Since this is a family trip we will be looking for great causal dining, but we will probably splurge one night. Been thinking of renting an apartment so that we can cook at home for some meals.

Any recommendations for Lyon or further South along the coast? Driving around vs. flying around?

I haven't been to Paris since the '90s, so I got nothing firsthand. But a somm friend of mine who goes often is nuts for Le Chateaubriand, Septime, and Le Baratin for great food and no-bullshit wines. Not sure of the fanciness level of these restaurants, but I trust this man w/my life and I'd make it a point to visit at least one of them.

The Jura is just north of Lyon and could be fun and certainly not so touristy if your family is into mountain scenery and weird wine. Might be kinda cold in March, though.

I did all the tourist things too, but I think Parisians mostly like to walk around, smoke hash by the Seine, and drink wine in parks. I was there visiting as a student, and that was what my local friends did. There is no need to eat fancy. Lots of inexpensive ethnic places, very nice Falafel, and baguette sandwiches will easily feed you for a short trip. it's any easy town to enjoy without much effort. If you get bored or tired, I can say that the cinema programming there is second to none, and you will no doubt find something in English. Kid s all seem to want expensive PSG football souvenirs with jumpman on it. Watch out for the dog shit, and feel free to urinate anywhere!

Dave N. wrote: Sun Jan 01, 2023 6:13 pm I’m headed to Belize in a few days. Staying in San Pedro for a week. Any recommendations?

We did our honeymoon there - on Ambergris Caye - over the summer.
Waruguma is a good, casual open air restaurant. I had lobster tacos, which were very good.
They have a few casinos, if that's your bag.
If you go to the northern part of the Caye - over the bridge - check out The Truck Stop. Like an outdoor food court, with live music most nights. Fun atmosphere.

The best thing we did was tour the Mayan ruins of Xunantunich, on the mainland. I had never been to anything like that before, it was very cool.

Not sure what the bug situation is like in January, but we got bit by mosquitos a lot our first night there. Bring insect repellant.

RyanZ wrote: Fri Dec 30, 2022 11:27 pm Trying to plan 10 days in France in March with wife and kids (9,12). I am in the wine industry so I know the deal with the wine regions. Trying to split the trip into Paris, a quick stop in Burgundy or Northern Rhone and then finish off the trip down south along the Mediterranean for kicking back. Looking for ideas off the beaten path in Paris. Trying to explore and avoid the usual tourist stuff as much as possible. We are not going to wait in line for hours to see the Mona Lisa. Museums, parks, thrift/unique shopping and food. Since this is a family trip we will be looking for great causal dining, but we will probably splurge one night. Been thinking of renting an apartment so that we can cook at home for some meals.

Any recommendations for Lyon or further South along the coast? Driving around vs. flying around?

Aix-en-Provence, Antibes, Arles, Toulon, Le Muy, Sainte-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume - all beautiful towns with lots to see, do and eat. Accommodation in March shouldn’t be too pricy either - check out Gites de France https://www.gites-de-france.com/en

For northern Rhone, Orange is a beautiful little town with a roman amphitheatre and its own Arc de Triomphe

Driving is easy in France in my experience so I’d do that.

I’ve never been anywhere in France that doesn’t have a market at least once a week. Buy lots of merguez and barbecue them. Buy rotisserie chickens with the veg cooked in the roasting juices. Buy celeriac remoulade. Buy duck rilettes and Maille cornichons and have them on bread.

Also, regarding Paris - it’s fuckin huge so you don’t really need to do the mega tourist stuff if you don’t want to. Last time I was there I stayed in the 12th arrondissement which was very nice. The Marché d’Aligre is there and is mindblowingly good.

zircona1 wrote: Mon Jan 02, 2023 2:41 pm

Dave N. wrote: Sun Jan 01, 2023 6:13 pm I’m headed to Belize in a few days. Staying in San Pedro for a week. Any recommendations?

We did our honeymoon there - on Ambergris Caye - over the summer.
Waruguma is a good, casual open air restaurant. I had lobster tacos, which were very good.
They have a few casinos, if that's your bag.
If you go to the northern part of the Caye - over the bridge - check out The Truck Stop. Like an outdoor food court, with live music most nights. Fun atmosphere.

The best thing we did was tour the Mayan ruins of Xunantunich, on the mainland. I had never been to anything like that before, it was very cool.

Not sure what the bug situation is like in January, but we got bit by mosquitos a lot our first night there. Bring insect repellant.

We’re doing a Mayan ruins tour and some cave tubing. I like caves and I like tubing, so it sounds pretty great to me. I’d like to do some snorkeling on the reef, but I haven’t signed up for anything.

An American tourist was killed in San Pedro a few nights ago, outside of a popular nightclub on the town square. Makes me a little nervous.

Update: I’m sitting at a bar in Belize City, waiting for the rest of my crew to get here. This is some next-level humidity. It’s fine when the wind is steady, but as soon as it stops…shit.