Tag Archives: North America

FOOD

Funk and Waffles: Taking College Breakfasts to the Next Level

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By Rohan:

Funk and Waffles is more than off the beaten path. In order to get to this Syracuse University favorite, you have to cross through a mini-mall and go down a set of hidden concrete stairs. But what lies on the other end of this voyage is definitely worth the trip.

This little dive has been serving Syracuse students for years, and after months of hearing about it, I just had to try it out. I grabbed a few friends and we decided to go for breakfast before a long day of work and classes (a la Friends).

The decor is perfect for a college eatery. Bright colored chairs, plenty of seating, and funky artwork adorn the walls. There is a stage off to one corner of the restaurant, where open mic-nights and poetry readings take place every now and then. It brings yet another sense of community to the campus. Here you’ll see everything from friends reuniting over piping-hot waffles to groups working on projects in one of the restaurant’s booths. The music that plays in the diner matches its quirky name. Everything from Aretha Franklin to Jimi Hendrix, The Grateful Dead to The Beatles. Funk and Waffles certainly knows how to bring spunk to a campus that is known for freezing over in the winter.

Oh, and did we mention they serve some of the best waffles around? Their buttermilk waffle with powdered sugar and hot maple syrup might make your taste buds go crazy, but their menu surpasses any other breakfast joint I’ve been to in recent history. Toppings ranging from strawberries, blueberries, Nutella, chocolate chips, Oreo cookies, spinach, artichoke, mushrooms, bacon, basically anything that can be put on a waffle will be put on a waffle at this quirky eatery. They have a large espresso bar and certainly know how to make a killer latte. If you need something to cool you down (which would be surprising considering upstate New York’s brutal winters), they also have great smoothies and juices made from fresh fruit.

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If you’re in the Syracuse area, be sure to give Funk and Waffles a try. Their atmosphere, food, charm, and servers will win you over in a heartbeat. To get there, cross through Marshall Square Mall and you’ll see signs pointing to that infamous stairwell.

For more information on Funk and Waffles, visit http://funknwaffles2.blogspot.com/

TRAVEL

Is This Just Fantasy? Five Magical Locales Around The World

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By Rohan:

The greatest joy in traveling comes from finding places that don’t feel real.

Whether they are just out of reach of my comfort zone or completely zany in every possible way, our planet is blessed with a myriad of places that feel right out of a fairy tale.

Here are (in no particular order) places that will absolutely blow your mind in this regard.

1. Park Guell (Barcelona, Spain)

Step into the Gaudi-designed Park Guell, and in an instant, you have escaped the bustling street life of one of Spain’s most popular destinations and entered the imagination of both an artist and a visionary. Gaudi has spread his influence throughout the city, from his house that depicts the tale of St. George and the Dragon to the colossal Sagrada Familia church, and his style is prevalent in this magical outdoor space. Adorned with houses that look like they’re made of gingerbread and featuring the famous tiled salamander, the park is a must-see on your trip to Barcelona.

Park Güell – Source: The Telegraph

 

2. Sacre Coeur (Paris, France)

The City of Lights is considered to be one of the most romantic destinations on earth. From the glimmering Eiffel Tower to the impressive galleries at the Louvre, there is no question that Paris is a hub for honeymooners and lovebirds from around the world. In our opinion, one of the city’s most stunning monuments is Sacre Coeur, a cathedral nestled on a hilltop surrounded by charming shops along cobblestone streets. The warm lights of the city glisten like summer fireflies below as the charm of the hill provides the backdrop for a perfect evening with that special someone.

Sacre Couer – Source: favilletours.com

Continue reading Is This Just Fantasy? Five Magical Locales Around The World →

DEALS, TRAVEL

Planning A Summer Trip to Alaska? Don’t Leave Home Without The Alaska TourSaver

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By Lakshmi:

If you are planning a summer trip to Alaska, you MUST check into the Alaska TourSaver Book and get one or two before departing home.

Why?  Because for $99.95 you can get the Alaska TourSaver Book which is just packed with savings offers which will save you a ton of money in one of America’s most beautiful but expensive states.

The Alaska TourSaver Book is a coupon book that is filled with 115  deals to save you money on all kinds of activities in Alaska including hotels, helicopter tours, rafting, whale watching, etc.  Many of the deals are two for one, which means that for a very expensive helicopter tour, you can get two people to go for one price.  If you buy two books, four can go for the price of two.

You can buy the Alaska TourSaver Book online at https://www.toursaver.com/order/ for $99.95 plus shipping and handling.  Additionally, for those wanting to forgo paper, you can order the TourSaver app on iTunes or GooglePlay for the same price.

We were a family of four traveling to Alaska and each of the activities we wanted to experience added up to an incredibly expensive affair. For example, taking a 4.5 hour glacier tour in Whittier would cost you $119 or $476 for a family of four.  With two TourSaver Books, you would pay only $238, thus recovering the cost of the books with just one activity.  So if a family of four took a road trip from Fairbanks to Seward and did a number of things along the way, here is a sampling of savings they would get with the purchase of two books:

– Get 2 tours on the Riverboat Discovery for free ($119.90 in savings)

– Get two Heli-Hikes in Denali for free ($1050.00 in savings)

– Take two people for free on a spectacular train journey from  Fairbanks to Denali ($272.00 in savings)

– Get two gold mine tours for free ($79.90 in savings)

– Get two ATV adventures in Denali ($210.00 in savings)

and much much more!

To check out the complete list of activities available, click here:

http://www.toursaver.com/deal/dealview/action/list/

So, this is really one of those deals that is not worth debating – you just need to get it!