Why We Love AirBNB for Family Travel

So I'm not sure if staying at AirBNB's three times makes me an expert, but after three fabulous stays, it sure feels like it.  We admittedly had reservations about it initially as well, but if you're a frequent traveler, it's definitely a tool to have in your arsenal for cheap travel. (PS--check out the link at the bottom of this post to get $55 off your first AirBNB stay!)

Why Do We Love It?

1. It's Generally Cheaper than A Hotel
If you're only going somewhere for a night or two, maybe a hotel is fine.  But when we're traveling for more than 2-3 days, those day rates really add up.  And it just seems silly to spend a ton of money on a hotel room you're barely in!  You really just need a place to lay your head in the evenings. For most of our AirBNB stays, cost has been less than $100/day after taxes and fees. Having access to a kitchen also allows you to make some meals at "home", saving money on dining out (leaving more money for beer, for beer travelers like us, but also for things like museum admissions, tours, etc...aka FUN things!)

2. It's Also Quieter Than a Hotel
I once saw a shirt that said "Boys are Just Noise Covered in Dirt".  That is 100% true for our Lil' Man.  So we'd rather be somewhere that he's not going to be bothering folks. Likewise, hotels are often noisy places, close to the interstate with heavy traffic, other guests coming in late,  dinging elevators, slamming doors, stomping around on the floor above you... last week we stayed at a hotel where a swarm of middle schoolers kept running up and down the hallway at 10:30pm.  You wake up my kid once I finally have him down?  We're gonna have some WORDS.  Staying at an AirBNB eliminates some of those issues--though with small/rowdy kids, you may still have concerns about your kiddo bothering the Host, which is why it's nice if you can book a whole condo/apartment.

3. Space, Space, Space!!!
If you have kids, you know that sleeping in the same room as them can be pretty restless for everyone--I already sleep light in new places, so hearing our kiddo every time he turns over (and secretly wondering if he's going to fall out of bed)?  Bleh.  Plus our toddler is an early riser, which means a tot-size face at 5am asking if he can get into bed with you.  Not my fave.  So when we have the option, we really love to have a second room for him--we ALL seem to get better sleep that way. But a suite-type hotel room doesn't come cheap. Residence Inn Extended Stay hotels offer a 2 bedroom suite--generally at least $200/night or more, depending on the city.

But an AirBNB gives you all the flexibility you need to find a place that's perfect for your family.  Kids okay to bunk together, or do they fight constantly/wake each other up?  No worries--I've seen up to 6 bedrooms in a AirBNB.  Our kid goes to bed at 8pm, but we don't go to sleep until 10-11ish...so if we stay in a hotel, either we have to go to bed at the same time, or leave him alone in the room for an hour or so while we...what?  Go down to the lobby? Or sequester ourselves to a balcony (assuming our hotel room has one)?  With an AirBNB, we can put him to bed, then go in the living room and watch TV, play games, chat and have a drink, etc.  

(Having your own bedroom is also quite handy on vacay in the event that you and your spouse feel like being romantical...just saying.)

4. It just feels a bit more like home.
There's something about staying in a house rather than a hotel room that feels comfortable when traveling as a family.  It's still a new-to-you space, but being in a neighborhood rather than a commercial district feels like you're getting a little more authentic experience in the city you're visiting--you can sense the culture of a neighborhood, walk to a local park, and be away from the main drag or interstate.

Since we've stayed in a variety of types of AirBNB's, I decided to give a little more detail on each type below.

Whole Apartment AirBNB:
Our first AirBNB stay was an apartment above a business in Hermann, Missouri, for just The Hubs & I.  We wanted a romantic weekend getaway, but all the traditional bed & breakfasts and hotels in Hermann were on average about $200/night.  

Our three day stay ended up costing a little under $300 total (taxes and fees included). It was right downtown, within walking distance to everywhere we wanted to go (whereas a lot of the B&B's in Hermann are further away from the downtown area).  

We had the whole apartment to ourselves, and only interacted with the Host via the AirBNB Messaging Center.  Which honestly, for a couple introverts like us, was perfectly fine.  The stay came with free street parking, WiFi, and fresh pastries from a local bakery upon our arrival.

Whole House AirBNB:
We decided to use AirBNB again for a week-long family trip to New Orleans over Labor Day Week. We found a gorgeous condo (half of a double shotgun-style home) that had 2 bedrooms, full kitchen, all the fixins--for about $60/night.  

Our host lived in the other half of the house--we chatted with him a few times out on the porch.  Really great folks.  It came with off-street parking, WiFi, Netflix, Hulu, Prime...and several great nights' sleep.  

The Mid-City location was perfect for us since I'm pretty familiar with New Orleans and am comfortable driving around NOLA.

Private Suite in Host's Home:
For our most recent trip, we went to Chicago the week of Memorial Day.  Hotels were all $200-300, before taxes and parking. While looking for things to do in Chicago, we noticed that a lot of the breweries people were noting as "kid-friendly" were in the Logan Square neighborhood, so that's where we decided to look for lodging, so they'd be within walking distance.  

Definitely check out Hopewell Brewing if you decide to stay in Chicago.

We had trouble finding an AirBNB that would get us a whole apartment to ourselves, so we ended up going with a private suite inside someone's house.  

The space had a twin "trundle-style" bed, where the pull-out portion could pop up to the same level as the top bed, converting into a functional queen for my husband & I.  For our kiddo, we brought our inflatable toddler bed, which helps keep his tossing and turning confined.

It came with garaged off-street parking, was close to the "L" train and bus routes, and there was a great playground park across the street that our son wanted to play in every day.  

It was a beautiful historic old neighborhood with tall greystone and brownstone buildings, interspersed with newer construction.

Our Host travels a lot for work, so he ended up only being there one day while we were in town, and told us we had run of the house while he was gone, aside from the 2nd story (his bedroom/private quarters, which was locked).  

So while our suite was down in the basement, we were still able to use the kitchen, living area, back yard, and most importantly--the espresso machine. Mmmm...Going back to a Keurig will be tough.  

So ultimately, we paid about $100/night to have an entire house to ourselves.  You just can't beat that!

If you'd like to try out AirBNB, you can get $55 off your first stay by using this link!  I get a small credit toward future AirBNB travel as well, so it's a win-win!

Rebranding the FeauxCajun Blog

So recently The Hubs and I took a trip to Cancun, while I was reading the book "Quitter" by Jon Acuff.  Now, I really enjoy my day job as a geologist, and I make pretty good money doing it, so I have no delusions about leaving that job to become a professional blogger.  This has always been a hobby for me--a venue for me to exercise my creative writing skills.

A little history about me: I originally went to school to be a journalist. I wanted to work for a newspaper, or a magazine...for a while I really wanted to be a photographer for National Geographic.  At times I wanted to become a screenwriter, or maybe a casting director, or a critic who reviewed movies and restaurants for a living.  I graduated with a degree in Mass Media with a minor in geology (because at the time my career arrow was pointed toward "environmental journalist").

And then...the internet happened.  And suddenly, everyone could be a critic...fo' FREE.  I had a realization that unless I was willing to move to Orlando, New York, or Hollywood, I probably wasn't going into TV or the movies, or National Geographic.  I did work as a production assistant for a local TV station for a while right after college. And it WAS super fun.  But I wanted something...more.  I wanted to play outside for a living.   So I decided to go back to school to get my master's degree in Environmental Science, and go into environmental consulting.  That was about 15 years ago, and it brought me to Louisiana.

I'm happy I made that career change, because it led me on the path that my life has followed and I have no regrets.  But the underlying joy within my original degree path was CREATIVITY.  I wanted to be creative and have someone pay me for it.  The downside about being a scientist--while there is a lot of problem solving involved, there's not a lot of traditional "creative outlets".  My journalism background has helped me become excellent at writing reports that have good flow and are easy for the average person to read and understand.  Now a big part of my job is to help others I work with build and grow these skills by training them and reviewing/editing reports for them.

But this blog is my place to just be CREATIVE.  Be that with food or words or photos.

It originally started with my journey to learn to cook Cajun food in 2008.  But over the last decade, this blog has changed, as I'VE changed.  I've become a wife, a mom, a beer traveler, a home brewer, a debt-free thrifty person.  

And so, I've decided to rebrand this blog.  The name won't be changing, because I'M still the "FeauxCajun".  That's a big part of my identity, just like the other parts of me.  (Also, it would be a giant pain in the butt, and y'all know I'm lazy.)

But the look of this blog will be changing, as will the focus of future content.  I want to spend more time focusing on the things that drive me today.

- Beer Traveling: (still with a focus on kid-friendliness)

- Home Brewing: with a lot of help from The Hubs, our unofficial "brew master".

- Travel Adventures: restaurant, event and hotel reviews, both with and without our kiddo.

- Money Saving Tips: Mostly on travel deals, but also just how we save money on a day-to-day basis, including on home renovations.

- Cajun Cooking:  Yes, there will still be some of this, but I want to focus more on creating my own recipes, rather than just remaking someone else's recipe that I found on Pinterest.  Things that are my own creation, or a collaboration with friends, like Crawchos and Bacon Wrapped Boudin Jalapeno Poppers.

So that's the plan.  If you, as a reader, have any feedback on these changes to come, I'd love to hear them!

7th Wedding Anniversary: Copper

The Hubs & I just celebrated our seventh wedding anniversary!  Still feels like hardly any time at all.  The grandparents took Lil' Man for the weekend so that we could have a romantic getaway to Missouri's Wine Country, Hermann, MO.   Hermann was colonized in the early 1800's by German settlers, who were drawn to the area because it reminded them of Bavaria and the Rhineland back home (so much so that the next town over is named Rhineland).  Early government encouraged settlers to grow their own grapes by giving landowners money for "grape lots", and thus spawned a massive wine boom in the area.  It's still home to some of the most well known Missouri wineries, like Stone Hill , Hermannof, and Adam Puchta.

We found a super-cute apartment right downtown via AirBNB, took some historic walking tours, did some wine tasting, tried some new beers, and ate some AMAZING food.  We even did a little geocaching!

Filet with Norton wine & rosemary sauce, over spaetzle with goat cheese. YUM.

And on our way home, we decided to stop in Jefferson City and knock something off our bucket list--visiting the now-abandoned Missouri State Penitentiary!   I know...super-romantic, right?  But it was really interesting--it's the oldest prison in the U.S. and was in use until 2004. I'd like to go back and to the night-time ghost tour in the future. 

As you may know, we like to do traditional wedding gifts.  And the traditional gifts for the 7th year are copper or wool.  Since we got married in July, the idea of anything wool right now makes me hot and itchy. But copper...we can run with that!

David gifted me with a copper-plated birch leaf necklace that I love and have worn nearly every day since I got it:

And then while we were in Hermann, The Hubs noticed that the railroad was really active:

Found one.

So he wanted to smash a penny on the tracks.  So we left one on the tracks, went to go try some wines, and then when we came back....ta-da!

Originally I thought about just framing it, but then I saw this photo album that had a frame in the front, so I decided to go with that instead!

I originally wanted to find a copper-themed beer, but didn't have much luck. But then I remembered that we have our very own Copper Run Distillery just a few miles down the road.  So I picked up a bottle of golden rum and a few other necessities for making us some tasty cocktails.

7-Up for Seven years of good luck! :)

To check out the previous years' gifts, use the links below!

• Year 1 - Paper
• Year 2 - Cotton 
• Year 3 - Leather & Glass
• Year 4 - Fruit 'n Flowers
• Year 5 - Wood
• Year 6 - Iron

Beer Traveling with Kids: A Gulf Coast Brewery Tour

We recently took a week long trip down to Gulf Shores, Alabama with our kiddo and some friends who also have a kiddo. I've already done the whole "traveling with a baby" and "traveling with a toddler" and "beach vacationing with a baby" post thing.  Those are all great resource posts (if I'm not being humble), so feel free to check them out.  So, there's no point in rehashing a bunch of travel tips here.

(Okay, maybe one:  if you are staying in the Gulf Shores/Pensacola area, and have a day where it's not good beach weather, go check out the Naval Air Museum on the Naval Air Base.  It's free admission and SUPER cool.  We spent 2 hours and still didn't see everything, and it's geared toward kids--there's planes they can sit in, there's a play land for burning off energy...I highly recommend it.)

So instead...I'd like to talk about all the breweries we visited, in respect to their kid/family friendliness.  Because the Hubs & I, we're Beer Travelers.  When we go someplace new, that's one of the first things we do a Google search for: local breweries.  And if we're going to have the kid with us, "kid-friendly brewery in *insert town name*".  Sometimes we get lucky, sometimes we have to dig.  So hopefully this post pops up in someone else's Google search so we can be helpful. :)

Stop 1: Southern Prohibition Brewing, Hattiesburg, MS
This was probably my favorite of all the places we stopped, both for beer diversity and kid-friendliness.  It's not in the best neighborhood, but don't be deterred--once you're inside, it's amazing. Half the interior is full of old arcade games, which our kiddo loves to play (even if it's actually just the demo screen). 

Outside (in a fenced-in patio area), they have a "soccer billiard table" which kept our kiddo entertained for about half an hour with minimal intervention.  Oh, and they're right by the train tracks, so if you have a kid who is obsessed with trains, he/she'll be super happy.   Also--they have a freezer full of free popsicles, for kids and adults alike.

They also have a pizza food truck onsite--we tried The Butcher (all the meats!) which was delicious, but I wish I'd been hungrier or lived closer, because there were so many other things I wanted to try, like the pecan praline cannoli or the blackberry dessert pizza.  And the beer selection was top notch--we tried 2 different flights and had trouble finding fault with anything.

Favorite beer(s): Tie between Usurper (Part of their Wild & Wood Series, a Brett ale with Blood Orange & Satsuma) and the Spoils of War Coconut Cream Pie Stout

Changing Table in the Bathroom: Yes!  Bonus Points!

Stop 2: Big Beach Brewing, Gulf Shores, AL

After a somewhat rainy day while Tropical Storm Alberto's western edge clipped the area, we headed over to Big Beach, where they host Geeks Who Drink pub quiz on Monday nights.  We were concerned that they wouldn't be open (or not having trivia) because of Memorial Day, but they responded right away when we messaged them on Facebook to say that yes they would be open and having trivia!  So we got a couple flights and one of the bartenders saw our kiddo and brought him the bean bags so he could play with the cornhole game.

The staff was super friendly and we got no flack about our kid, even though they were packed to the gills with customers playing trivia.  They're also dog-friendly, with a big outside fenced in area, so our son got to pet a few dogs.  But he was mostly interested in the giant mud puddle right next to the cornhole game...and was a giant muddy mess by the time we left. 

But he had a blast, and we got to play trivia and drink beer, so everyone wins! 

We even came back here later in our trip for a couple more pints and to catch a ride on the giant tree swing outside.

Favorite Beer: Amy Honey Basil Wheat for me, Czech It Out pilsner for The Hubs.

Changing Station in the Bathroom:  No, but their bathrooms are very clean and tidy, so we just laid a disposable changing mat on the floor and changed him there.  I asked and they said they'd suggest getting one to the management.


Stop #3: Luna's Eat & Drink, Orange Beach, AL

Luna's is not a brewery--they're a restaurant & tap room.  But they have one of the most impressive beer menu's I've seen.  Nearly all their taps are local or regional.

We got two flights here, which got us *close* to trying all the ones we haven't had before.  Service was great, and they also have an excellent outdoor space with games and such so bored kids can run around a bit.

They also have AMAZING food here.  We shared the pimento hushpuppies with blueberry pepper jelly (SO GOOD)  with our friends.  The Hubs got a fresh catch sandwich, and I got the stuffed grouper with brussel sprouts...my. heaven.  I could eat those brussel sprouts EVERY. DAY.

(Note: it doesn't come with tomatoes.  Those are from my husband's sandwich.)

Favorite beer(s): it's hard to say.  Looking back at my Untappd check-ins, we gave a LOT of high scores to these beers.  But I'm gonna go with Charlie (sour ale) from Fairhope Brewing, and Old Fashioned Lemonade IPA from Evil Twin Brewing.

Changing Table in the Bathroom: Yup!  Bonus Points!


Luna's is located in a larger complex, that is also home to one of the best beer and wine shops in the area...

Stop #4: Maggie's Bottle & Tail, Orange Beach, AL  
They had a huge selection of local bottles & cans and you can build your own 6-pack (NOTE: the local Rouses also does mixed 6 packs with a good selection of local beers, so be sure to stop in there as well if you're looking for some local brews to take home.)

Our kind of Souvenirs. PS--stay hydrated, folks.

Stop #5: Flipdaddy's, Orange Beach, AL

We did a date-night exchange with our friends, so this is where The Hubs & I went for dinner on our date night. Since we were here sans-kiddo, I can't really review their kid-friendliness.  However, they did have great service, tasty burgers (I fell in love with The French Connection) and sweet potato tots, and a good selection of craft beers.  We got 2 flights here, sat at the bar, ate our burgers and chatted in relative peace.  It was a really nice date.

Favorite beer(s): for me, Summertrip from Braxton Brewing.  For the Hubs, Cheap Sunglasses (kolsch) from Fairhope Brewing.

Stop #6: Spahr Brewing, Pensacola, FL

So, I didn't actually get to go to this one.  I was at the Children's Museum with our kiddo.  The Hubs didn't feel like going so he went to Spahr while waiting for us, then came back to pick us up when the museum closed.  So, I'm gonna let him write this section. In the meantime, here's a pic of the kiddo playing at the Children's Museum.

The Hubs:  What can I tell you?  It's set up like an old German beer hall, with lots of German decor and long picnic tables inside.  There's an outdoor seating area in the back with some yard games where kids could run around.  They have darts and a pool table inside.  But I didn't see any board games or anything like that.  And the beers were pretty good.

Favorite Beer: Blueberry Wit (this is a big deal, because we are NOT witbier people.  We don't dig on the banana + clove vibe, like, at all.  But The Hubs says even the regular Wit from Spahr was probably the best he's ever had.)

Changing Table in Bathroom:  Nope.  Sorry.

Stop #7: Pensacola Bay Brewery, Pensacola, FL

This brewery is just a couple blocks from the Children's Museum, so we walked over there.  They have a nice outdoor space, part-covered and part open.  I didn't see any outdoor games, so probably not the kid-friendliest spot, but the beer was good!  (They are dog-friendly, FYI.)  We got one flight here. Also--there's a park right across the street, so if you can bribe your kid with snacks for a bit, you can take them over there afterward. Our kid was obsessed with the old-fashioned mail slot on the entry way door, and so he just kept opening the door for people so that he could go inside and peek out through the mail slot.  Weirdo.

Favorite Beer:  Me - DeSoto Berliner Weisse, The Hubs - Deluna kolsch.

Changing Table in Bathroom: Kinda. If you have a mat or disposable changing pad cover to lay down, they do have a large chest of drawers in there that can be used as a changing station.

Stop #8: Perfect Plain Brewing, Pensacola, FL

We headed here next during our day in Pensacola to grab some dinner and a flight.  They don't have much of an outdoor space since they're basically downtown along a major street, but they do have a few tables outside.  It was pretty hot while we were there so we didn't really want to sit outside anyway.  They had a great selection of board games and kid's toys, so we were able to keep our toddler entertained while we sampled beers and waited for our food.  

They had about 10 taps on while we were there, plus craft sodas and fresh pressed Florida juice for the minors/non-drinkers in your group.

Two Birds food truck was onsite while we were there, so we ordered a brisket & green chile Philly, and the crushed Doritos mac & cheese.  Both were AMAZING.

Favorite Beer: As far as standard beers, the Kolsch would probably be our go-to.... however, I have to give some props for the Neglected Garden, a saison featuring honey, turmeric, black peppercorns, and basil.  It's a little weird...but in a good way. I don't know that I could have more than one in an evening, but I'd definitely drink it again.

Changing Table:  Not at the time of our visit, but I was told they do have one on order so it could well be installed by now. 

Stop #9: Blue Canoe, Tupelo, MS

We stopped here on the way back home for lunch. They have a great selection of regional craft beers, and the staff was super friendly and not at all judgey about us bringing a tiny human into their bar/restaurant.  They have a fully fenced in back yard, and while it was too hot to eat outside while we were there, we did let the Lil' Man run around outside like a Tasmanian Devil for about 20 minutes to burn off energy from being trapped in a car for 6 hours.

The only downside of the big backyard is that it's also their smoking section, so if you have a kid who's obsessed with picking stuff up off the ground (like discarded cigarette butts), I'd suggest bringing some Purell with you.

Favorite Beer: ALT-ered State from Natchez Brewing.  

Changing Table: No dice.  We ended up changing him outside in the back yard, since we were the only ones back there.

~~~

Note: We would have really liked to have gone up to Fairhope Brewing and Haint Blue Brewing in Mobile, AL.  Unfortunately, Fairhope wasn't open when we were going through Mobile and Haint Blue doesn't have a tap room yet.  There's also several breweries in Pensacola that we didn't have time to make it to. Ah well--next time! 

What I've Been Eating Lately

As I mentioned last week, I've been traveling fair bit for work and such.  It's hard when it's for work and I have to be away from The Hubs & Lil' Man, but I make up for it by trying new foods and new brews.

But first...EASTER!  Yes...that feels so long ago, but it really wasn't.  We did our whirlwind tour of the Lake to visit the grand-folks, and my mom made us her famous chicken & noodles.  Which always makes my belly happy.

THEN--the Hubs & I went on a KID-FREE VAYCAY, to beautiful PUNTA CANA! (*read in your best Rod Roddy "Price is Right" mental voice*)

Our resort was super nice, and we had LOTS of delicious food. I can't even start to share it all here, but here's a few highlights:

Breakfast: croissant, pastry, ham & pineapple, sausage, bacon wrapped sweet potato, churro, ham fritter, egg crepe, fruit, & watermelon juice

Another breakfast, with a fresh-made omelette from the beach-side omelette station.  Also, churro with chocolate sauce and chocolate filled croissant, because I love carbs. Note: I ate this exact same meal at least 3 times.

Beach-side lunch: roasted chicken, fried fish, potatoes, pineapple, cucumber, and cabbage slaw.

Note: There were also many, many drinks.

Then, we had an authentic shrimp & crawfish boil at my office, to celebrate one of my coworker's 20th anniversary with the company.  Shrimp & Bayou Classics supplied all the seafood, direct from Louisiana, and boiled up everything onsite.  It was AMAZING. (Note: brussel sprouts in a boil = GENIUS.)

I even brought The Hubs a go-cup.

Then, I had to head out of town for work for a week.  We stayed at a lovely little hotel in Farmington, MO called The Tradition Inn.  Anything it lacks in frills and fanciness, it makes up for in the attached restaurant, Spokes Pub & Grill, which sports about 40 craft brew taps.  The property is owned by the great folks who also own Crown Valley Brewing, and so you can find nearly all of the Crown beers and ciders on tap, along with a wide and ever-changing variety of local craft brews (Farmington is just south of St. Louis, so no shortage of great breweries.) 

Their food is also excellent, even down to the pepper bacon BLT.

For Mother's Day, the Hubs made me "Cloud Eggs";

How gorgeous is that?  The texture is a little weird, but still tastes like a normal over easy egg.

Then, I had to hop a flight down to Louisiana for work.  Yes...on Mother's Day.  So I treated myself in the DFW Airport to some Red Mango:

And picked up some boudin balls from Hebert's Specialty Meats:

In New Orleans, I hit up Frey's Smoke Meats with my cousin Primeaux. The meal was awesome, but a ton of food, so I had some leftover brisket.  So the next day for lunch, I swung by Martin Wine Cellar to pick up a few things to accompany it...

(Cypress Grove Humboldt Fog goat cheese, rosemary crackers, and cornichons)

...and then went down to the Pontchartrain Lakefront to enjoy a bit of sun before hopping on the plane back home.

And of course, as discussed last week, I've been eating a lot of breakfast, and sharing them on Instagram.  Not all of those breakfasts are interesting, but I try to remember to capture them all.  But the ones I didn't?  Probably look a lot like this. :)

(cereal, yogurt, & soft boiled egg.)