A couple of weekends ago I had the pleasure of accompanying my mom and sister to Phoenix Arizona to not only spend some quality time together but also to enjoy a Broadway favorite Wicked. We were all looking very forward to the show and since we couldn’t get tickets locally, decided it was worth traveling for.

Broadway Across America tours the United States and Canada bringing some of the most beloved and adored Broadway shows right to your local theaters. They have toured such productions as Lion King, Monty Python’s Spamalot, Disney’s Lion King, and obviously Wicked. The show was fantastic. For anyone familiar or traveling to the area, the production was at Gammage Theater which is located on the Arizona State University Campus. I highly recommend the theater to anyone who loves a good show and looking for some relief from the heat. I know that the theater will be offering Annie, Legally Blonde, and Mary Poppins in the near future. And make sure to buy some roasted nuts before the show begins, those things are to die for!

Broadway musicals offer a little bit of escape and culture to our everyday lives which can sometimes be a little dreary. Even though it may cost a bit of money, it’s definitely worth it in the end. The memories will last a lifetime. I remember seeing Phantom of the Opera when I was only 9 years old and it still is a fond memory. Now I can add Wicked to the list and am trying to figure out my next Broadway musical to visit- hopefully this time on Broadway!

A weekend at the beach would top just about anybody’s idea of a great summer getaway. I know it does for those living in Fresno and Bakersfield California because as we headed into Pismo Beach, a central california coastal community, we found it to be packed and bustling with excitement.

There are many things to do in this beach town besides lay out and get a tan. There are shops, excellent dining choices, and of course surfing and boogie boarding opportunities. I do find California ocean water to be a little cold for my liking but Reid and his friend Kevin braved the cold for some body surfing. There are also some interesting tide pools and caves you can explore on the right side of the pier. We had some fun collecting sand dollars and observing sand crabs.

A trip to Pismo Beach should not exclude a visit to Splash Cafe which is world famous for their clam chowder served in nothing better than a sour dough bread bowl. It’s so popular that you will probably have to stand in quite the line and may end up eating your chowder on the sidewalk or in your car. We got there and ate at 10:30 am and there was still a line!

We were there for fourth of July weekend, but only stayed at the beach the day before. I do know they have an excellent fireworks show and we were a little sad to be skipping out, but were very glad for our time there!

There were three things we had to do while visiting Louisville, Kentucky (First obviously going to the Brown Hotel and getting hot browns). As most of you probably already know Louisville is home to the famous Kentucky

Derby which is held every year on the first Sunday in May at Church Hill Downs. We were excited when we got there and headed over to the race track in hopes to witness a race or two. There were a few races that day and we got to expirience two of them before our reservations at the hotel. Parking at the track costs some money- I think around ten dollars, but since it wasn’t a major race day we were able to find street parking. Just a tip- if you are going to go to Church Hill Downs- even if you don’t intend to bet there is still a charge to get in ($3) and they only except cash. I know it’s a little rare these days but just a heads up.

It’s fun to watch the races, wander around the garden, and even try your hand at the minimum bets which are $2. We didn’t know anything about betting or what we were getting into so we stopped at the information desk and found they were pleasantly patient with us being newcomers. We actually managed to win a whole 60 cents!

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