Going places... but nowhere too fast - A Travel & Photography Blog - Adventures with Tom and Priscilla - Schmidt Photography
East Austin is full of color and personality and I am still uncovering new views around the neighborhood. As I wander slowly down each side street, I get a few strange looks, a few friendly howdy wave's but mostly it's quiet in the morning. The question I really want to ask is, "why does everyone have such strong mailboxes?" Let's take a walk! …
Walking in Austin #4 – Neighborhood Tour of East AustinRead More
I am learning about Texas day by day and one thing that I have noticed is that there does not seem to be clear lines where industry ends and where living begins. I am not sure if this is due to a lack of zoning, but here in Austin,there seems to be no problem with homes situated right next to heavy truck repair shops. I find this especially interesting because I think it is allowing a more natural evolution of the city as new ventures take risks and try out businesses in all types of …
Exploring the neighborhoods in Austin by foot is is my favorite way to get moving in the morning these days. The mix of the old, new gives every street a character of it’s own. Hopefully with each new fancy home, I hope they try to keep a few of the big trees. Let’s take a walk! …
Walking in Austin with Tom on Gonzales Street – September 2021Read More
Austin's patio game is the best I've seen anywhere on the planet. My favorite setups are the ones where a permanent structure housing a brewery is surrounded by huge yard and collection of food trucks. We went in search of a food truck that had just moved to a new location and we found ourselves at Meanwhile brewing. Wow, this place was so amazing with a shady patio that could comfortably entertain hundreds of people, yet we had not even heard of it or seen it on "the best patio" lists... …
Meanwhile Brewing Patio Life & Food Trucks Review – Austin Outdoor DiningRead More
We recently moved to Austin, Texas and the views around the neighborhoods are a cool mix of old, new and everything in between. My favorite thing about this town, is that really anything goes. Let's take a walk! …
I had a bit of time to wander around at night in South Beach Miami and was fascinated by the city known for it's sun. At night, all of the white washed architecture comes alive with color and shape as it becomes illuminated from a new angle. The city shifts from sun seeking to party seeking as the people hop into their fancy cars and hit the town. The sounds of waves on the beach are accented by the not so distant roars of Lamborghinis and Ferraris cruising the strip. It's time to impress, …
Night Walk in South Beach Miami – February 2020 – Art Deco, Palm Trees & Party PeopleRead More
Moab in July!? Yes it was hot and very sunny, but we still had an amazing time over the July 4th holiday out in the desert. Salt Lake City was the touchdown point and then we would start the adventure to the salt flats and then south to Moab, but first we had to find some food after the early flight. Originally we targeted a few of the popular brunch places to find a hearty breakfast before the long drive, but they all seemed to have over an hour wait... The Red Iguana popped up as nearby …
We only had two nights in Boston and one was slated for an event, but Priscilla was determined to find some great seafood. The first stop on our trip was a hip seafood place called Select Oyster Bar, with lots of innovative side dishes, drinks, and a full selection of local oysters. I grew up about as far away the sea as possible in Missouri, so I am definitely no pro at eating oysters. I have had them less than a handful of times and they were never a food that I have seeked out. I really …
Boston – December 2019 – Oysters, Chinatown and a Lobsta RollRead More
Visiting caves sounds scary, stinky and unpleasant... but I would have to say the idea of going deep under the ground is much different from the actual experience. We have visited a number of caves and I have enjoyed each and every one of them! The air is crisply cool and fresh without the expected musty smells. Even in the tighter spaces, I did not get a feeling of claustrophobia that I imagined. Although the interior space is "alive" and could experience collapse, it seems very solidly …
Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky – May 2019 – Venture into the UnderworldRead More
Austin felt like a city growing in every direction with no end in sight. We had visited the city about 6 years ago and remembered it as a quirky place with just a few tall buildings and some good barbeque joints hidden in food trucks. The visit this year seemed like we had stepped into an all new land of fancy hip hotels, electric scooters and gourmet food everywhere. There is still some quirky-ness, but it is all being shined up with faux hipster vibes and people that look super stylish. We …
For the long Labor Day weekend, we decided to stay close to home and be tourists in our neighboring state. Just 3 hours drive north into Wisconsin, we found ourselves in Door County, where some call it the Cape Cod of the Midwest. We’ll be honest and admit we were skeptical at first, but we were wrong! Granted, we have never been to Cape Cod, but we did however find Door County to be charming, quaint and relatively affordable. We camped at Potawatomi State Park, and drove in a loop around …
Babb, Montana - A Motel, Diner and a General Store We spent most of our time inside Glacier National Park (GNP), and barely explored anywhere outside the park. Indeed, it was with regret that we ran out of time to visit the town of Whitefish. No doubt, Whitefish was the place to get souvenirs and a nice meal at the very least. With some time to spare before we had to leave, we decided we needed a diner experience. We found ourselves in Babb, right outside Many Glacier, a tiny town with barely a …
Babb, Montana – A View of the Local Life Outside of Glacier National ParkRead More
Hike #3: Iceberg Lake Trail - Montana Hiking in Glacier National Park Our last hike at Glacier National Park (GNP) was the Iceberg Lake trail, located in the Many Glacier area, separate from the main Going to the Sun road. Many Glacier road was off the little town of Babb, where a few homes were hiding, and the road was filled with massive potholes. This section of the GNP felt different from the popular section of the park with Logan Pass and Lake McDonald - it almost seemed much sunnier and …
Iceberg Lake Trail Hike – Dip your toes in the ICY WATERRead More
Hike #2: Siyeh Pass Trail Glacier National Park Montana Siyeh Pass trail is a stretch goal for us. This could be a one way trail, starting at Siyeh Bend and ending at Sunrift Gorge, but we made it a round trip hike, turning back somewhere near the highest point. Trail started off easily enough with a gentle hike through the evergreen forest. It was a little unnerving to hike where grizzlies roamed, so we tried to make as much noise as we could. This trail also appeared to attract a more …
Siyeh Pass Trail – Big Sky Country Hike in Glacier National ParkRead More
Hidden Lake Trail - Glacier National Park Hike #1 - Tom and Priscilla Our first hike at GNP started at Logan Pass. We snagged the last parking spot and headed straight to the visitor center to check trail conditions. It appeared that snow still covered the mountains at Logan Pass in July, despite the scorching sun. Priscilla wanted to go on the highline trail, and was sorely disappointed to learn that the trail was closed due to snow danger. Unfortunately, we visited 2 weeks too early. Feeling …
Amazing Auto Tour Glacier NPS - Going to the Sun Road Going to the Sun road is easily the most scenic drive in the country. Starting from the West Glacier entrance, the road follows Lake McDonald’s length, affording views of the biggest lake in GNP and the mountains surrounding it. After Lake McDonald, the road follows a river upstream, where the water is so clean and pure that it sparkles a cool turquoise hue. Trees and mountains surround us on both sides, while far ahead snow capped mountains …
Going to the Sun Road GNP – All of the Views, None of the SweatRead More
Voyage to Glacier National Park - Camping Via Plane The trip to Montana’s Glacier National Park had been in our plans for a few years. A friend recommended the park at least 3 years ago, but somehow life kept getting in the way, as all excuses go. Eventually we ran out of excuses, and 2017 was the year to make this trip happen. We decided to camp at the park to keep cost low. There weren’t too many campsites within GNP that were available for online reservations, and those sites were filled …
Fun Places to Visit When Exploring San Francisco - Tom & Priscilla San Francisco was a whirlwind of a trip. A trip revolved around food to be exact. The annual Singapore Day happened to be in San Francisco this year (2016), with the biggest highlight being the delicious Singapore street food, with cooks and ingredients brought in directly from Singapore. Just for the food alone, we impulsively bought air tickets to visit. This trip was short, really short. We arrived late Friday night …
San Francisco Travel Tips with Tom & Priscilla – November 2017Read More
Dark, rainy and cold – that is not the usual description for San Diego, but unfortunately, that was how San Diego was for us. California ended its four-year drought with a rare rainy weather, meanwhile we decided to escape the Chicago winter, thinking we could use some warm weather in San Diego. So…there was no beach weather for us and we wore our sweaters and raincoats everyday. Trying Airbnb for the first time, we picked a relatively cheap lodging in the Chula Vista area, about 10 …
Eating in San Diego – Travel with Tom and PriscillaRead More
Singapore is an island that is also a city and a country at the Southeastern tip of continental Asia. The locals call it the "Red Dot" because it is so darn small... It sits close to the equator, ensuring a predictable 12-hour sunlight everyday of the year, and an amazingly humid tropical weather year round. This is where Priscilla grew up and on this trip, Tom the hapless husband, was about to discover his new extended family and a whole new culture. Priscilla's Journey Back …
What to Eat in Singapore – Travel w/ Tom & PriscillaRead More
The Journey to Japan We had heard a lot about Japan, but knew nothing of it. Priscilla attempted to learn Japanese while in college, and growing up in Asia meant consuming a good amount of Japanese TV shows that were popular in the 90s. Besides that, she would say she did not know much about the culture. Tom, as always, loved the adventure and a chance to take a five-day long break before the next flight to Singapore (Japan was our long layover). Japan wasted no time to show us how efficient …
Japan Adventures – Tokyo and Kyoto – Travel with Tom and PriscillaRead More
Bali Indonesia Adventure with Tom & Priscilla Bali was a short getaway from the city of Singapore, where we escaped the concrete jungle for a little oasis of greenery on the Indian Ocean. It is one of thousands of islands that make up Indonesia, where it had for years, attracted a low-key group of tourists who came for the surf and unique Balinese culture. Priscilla visited years ago with one of her good friends and had a blast – surfing in the morning, relaxing by the pool in the …
Bali, Indonesia – The Tropical Experience – Travel with Tom and PriscillaRead More
Santa Fe - Artsy City Adventure - Tom and Priscilla Santa Fe is the capital of New Mexico. At 7,198′, it is at a higher altitude than Albuquerque, and is the highest capital city in the US. Recent travel literature on Santa Fe had been pretty negative, with grumbles about the high concentration of retirees from all over that made the city a staid place for the young, and the authentic cultural experience that had since turned into a kitschy tourist destination. But was that true? We were going …
Santa Fe – Part 5 of 5 New Mexico – Travel with Tom and PriscillaRead More
Tom and Priscilla Explore the Mysterious Ghost Ranch Ghost Ranch was located in Abiquiu, and was owned by the Presbyterian Church who ran it as an education and retreat center. We had chanced upon this obscure place while looking into popular hiking trails in the state. Interestingly, Georgia O’Keefe had lived here, and the beautiful layered rocky canyon had inspired and influenced her art. There was barely anyone around when we arrived at the ranch, and it appeared mostly deserted, if not …
Ghost Ranch – Part 4 of 5 New Mexico – Travel with Tom and PriscillaRead More
Day 3 in New Mexico - Bandelier National Monument Bandelier National Monument was about an hour drive away from Santa Fe, and was highly ranked on the list of places to visit in New Mexico. It was an ancient site dating back over 11,000 years, where the Ancestral Pueblo people carved dwellings into the rocky canyon and lived there for about 400 years. Just ten miles short of Bandelier, signs abound at the town of White Rock to inform visitors that the monument could only be accessed via …
Bandelier National Monument – New Mexico 3 of 5 – Travel with Tom and PriscillaRead More
