Barrio Queen was one of my first stops when I got to Phoenix. It was close to where I was staying, and it had amazing reviews.

On my walk there, it was a million degrees and I thought I might die. I even saw lots of little lizards scurry across the sidewalk. But I made it - a sweaty, red mess - but I made it.

This place has a ton of different taco options, and their tableside guacamole is the stuff of legend.



Since it was just me, I opted for tacos only.

I went for the al pastor, cochinita pibil and nopalitos - which is cactus!

AL PASTOR - Pork marinated in chile and spice. Topped with diced red onions, fresh cilantro, pineapple and our homemade red sauce - Straight from Mexico City

COCHINITA PIBIL - Casa Signature - The Queen's acclaimed pork marinated in sour orange and achiote paste. Topped with pickled red onions and homemade pico de gallo

NOPALITOS - Tender sautéed cactus, jalapeño peppers, red onions and tomatoes. Topped with queso fresco



But first - chips & salsa!

And, my three tacos.

And, if you're curious what cactus tastes like - to me, it was like green beans.

On my long trek to Phoenix, I had a layover in Charlotte.

After a quick Google search, I saw 1897 Market had some pretty stellar reviews so we stopped there for lunch.

It was actually huge, with a beautiful dining space and a pretty cool little market area.

I saw a pasta dish when I walked in and ordered what I thought was that -- bucatini. It wasn't, but it was still delicious! Cream sauce, bacon jam and parmesan - yum!

The Twist in Milton offers a drive-thru and sit-down space for those wanting ice cream (me!) and other items like burgers, etc.



My main goal here was to find a delicious ice cream.



I ordered a small caramel sundae. It came with these little dollops of whipped cream on the side, which were adorable.


Have you been? What's the best thing to get?

I went to Cafe Crema when it was located on the West Side of Charleston, but it moved to Dunbar and expanded some of its offerings.

It's cute!

Cafe Crema was the perfect spot to get some work done, so I started off with a drink. They were advertising a peanut butter & jelly frappuccino, and that sounded fun.

And for some lunch, I ordered the Big Dipper, which is not something I'd typically go for. It had cheddar and feta cheese, ham, salami, black olives on wheat bread with 1000 island dipping sauce.




First, the drink really did taste like peanut butter - not heavy on the jelly. But definitely nutty.

And this sandwich has become one of my all-time favorites! I'll be getting it again and again.

I recently made my first visit to Parsons to experience Pickin in Parsons.

While there, I wanted to check out the local fare.

Piccolo Paula's Caffe is a very cute cafe that has soups, sandwiches, salads -- and more!

The interior has lots of twinkly lights, local crafts and a fun mix of decor.

The special on this day was a crab bisque with garlic cheese ciabatta. Yes, please!

When they said a large bowl, they weren't joking! But, it hit the spot on a rainy day! And I could've spent hours here just people-watching and relaxing.