Putting down roots & Keegan's Seafood Grille (Indian Rocks Beach, FL)

I feel terrible about neglecting Destination Savvy the way I have been. Seriously, I think about it a lot and don't want this blog to fall into the dark hole where most blogs go to die. I love this freaking blog! It's full of my favorite memories and I love interacting with others who are passionate about traveling, too. The thing is, we're not doing much traveling at this time. After more than 5 years of planning trips whenever we knew we had a few days free, we've been spending the past couple of months putting some roots down in central Florida.  

Even though Ryan works all the time, there are some upsides. He not only loves his job (yay!), but he often has to travel around Florida for hearings, etc - and of course, I tag along. So, we've been using this time to explore our great state!

Ryan has lived in Florida all his life and I've been here since 2004 - so, we should be pretty familiar with everything this state has to offer, right? NOPE. We've spent most of our time planning international and multi-state road trips ... neglecting our own backyard! Sure, we've frequented Disney World & Universal and the beaches, but there's so much more.

So, please bear with us. There are plenty of international tips/stories we still want to share with ya'll - but from this point on, you may be seeing a lot more about Orlando and the surrounding southern goodness!

Okay, now that the business part is out of the way - on to the best mahi mahi sandwich I've ever devoured!!

Ryan had to be in St. Petersburg the other day for a couple of hearings - they weren't supposed to take very long, so he was planning to go back to work for a few hours after they finished. But, thanks to a huge docket, the hearings took much longer than expected - and because of this, we decided that rushing home would be futile, and took the long way home.

Since we were on the coast, we drove over to Treasure Beach and up the Gulf Coast to Indian Rocks Beach in search of some delicious seafood! And delicious seafood we did find...at Keegan's Seafood Grille! (Apparently this place was on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives!)

Having lived on other side of the state in St. Augustine, I couldn't help but look at the menu and think "ehhhhh, this place is expensive." Not cloth napkins expensive, but beach/dive-bar seafood expensive.

"$10.99 for this small mahi mahi [parmesan encrusted] sandwich? Seriously?" was my question to Ryan when the waitress brought out my plate. "I'D PAY $10.99 FOR THIS SANDWICH EVERYDAY" was my reaction after I ate half of it. The fish was moist and flavorful - unlike any other fish sandwich I've ever tasted. Usually I'd reach for the condiments - but no need here. The small amount of sauce they added to the top of it was enough.

Please take a moment out of your day to remember the lives lost on September 11, 2001.

Travel Photo Wednesday - Horseshoe Falls (Niagra Falls), Ontario, Canada

Please forgive us for posting our Travel Photo Wednesday a little late this week. Football season started this Wednesday and we lost track of time! This week's photo is of Horseshoe Falls which is the Canadian part of Niagra Falls. Enjoy!

Travel Photo Wednesday - Statues on the Mutianyu Section of The Great Wall, China

Review: Hotel Sunroute Plaza Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan

Hotel Sunroute Plaza Shinjuku

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View from our window

Tokyo can be a very confusing city for a traveler. And since we were pretty overwhelmed when planning our trip to Asia (we were studying for the bar exam), we didn't get to do much research. Luckily, however, our friend Kim had gotten back from Tokyo a few months earlier and was able to help us out a bit. Thanks to her, we booked our room at Hotel Sunroute Plaza Shinjuku.

If it's your first time to Tokyo (to make it easier on yourself) stay on a major metro line or near a major metro station. I can't stress this enough.

I'll admit it. Tokyo's metro was an absolute disaster for me. No matter what I did, I couldn't understand it. I've used subway systems around the world without a problem - but the fact that Tokyo's is owned by different companies where you must buy different tickets for different legs of the ride or buy transfer tickets - seriously, it was completely over my head. I can't say enough about the people who work in the metro, though ... they are they most patient and accommodating people I've ever met. EVER.

Anyway, back to Hotel Sunroute Plaza...the rooms are tiny but very comfortable. And, above all, its location is PRIME. The hotel is located right across the street from Shinjuku Station, near many restaurants and stores, and within walking distance of Yoyogi Park and Shibuya beyond that. It was the perfect hotel to come home to after a long day of walking around Tokyo. We even (easily) limped back to it from the KEIO bus after we climbed Mount Fuji.

The only thing I would warn travelers about is the fact that the employees at the front desk aren't that comfortable with English. So, if you need to completely rely on the concierge, I wouldn't stay at Hotel Sunroute Plaza - you're better off staying at an American chain. However, if you've ever been to Tokyo, you know that when someone says "I only speak a little bit of English" - they can actually be rather fluent. They are able to express themselves WAY better than I would be able to express myself in, let's say....Spanish. So, you can chance it. 

A little note: with the help from the woman at the front desk (and the internet), we were able to make it to the suburbs (Tokorozawa, Saitama) for a Seibu Lions game.

Review: Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory, Louisville, Kentucky

Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory

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We're huge baseball fans - and when we go road trips, we try to see as many baseball related things as possible. So, when we found ourselves driving through Kentucky, we knew we had to visit the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory.

Located on West Main Street in the heart of downtown Louisville, you can't miss the place. The museum is housed in a gorgeous red brick building - but that's not what makes it stand out. Leaning against the building is the World's Biggest Bat which seriously stands taller than the building itself.

Open from 9AM-5PM (Monday - Saturday) and 10AM-5PM on Sundays, make sure you get there at least an hour before closing so you can go on the tour. It's not to be missed! For about 30 minutes, a guide takes you through the working factory (yes, they actually make bats for MLB players there!) and basically shows/explains the process of making a Louisville Slugger. At the end, they even give you a free mini bat!

The museum was a lot of fun to walk through, as well. I think we probably spent an hour just roaming around. Make sure to check out the gift shop (you can order personalized baseball bats) and batting cages (I think it was $1 for 10 balls), too!