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Emma @ theweekendabroad.com on December 25, 2015

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The Weekend Abroad by Emma W

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_emwong_

Highlighting 10 drastically different landscapes a

Highlighting 10 drastically different landscapes and environments, and some of my favorite national park visits over the past 5 years on this 54th #EarthDay (and National Park Week).

This year’s @earthdaynetwork theme is Planet vs. Plastics, which advocates for widespread awareness on the health risk of plastics, rapidly phase out all single use plastics, urgently push for a strong U.N. Treaty ok Plastic Pollution, and demand to end fast fashion.

National parks featured:
1️⃣ Canyonlands National Park (Utah)
2️⃣ Channel Islands National Park (California)
3️⃣ Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)
4️⃣ Great Sand Dunes National Park (Colorado)
5️⃣ Zion National Park (Utah)
6️⃣ Arches National Park (Utah)
7️⃣ North Cascades National Park (Washington)
8️⃣ Capitol Reef National Park (Utah)
9️⃣ Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming)
🔟 Death Valley National Park (California)

Do you have a favorite national park?

#earthday2024 #nps #nationalparkweek

📣 Some of my FAVORITE BAY AREA MEALS and restau

📣 Some of my FAVORITE BAY AREA MEALS and restaurants over the past few months!

1️⃣-2️⃣ Daughter Thai (Oakland): Every single dish not only looks beautiful, but they were delicious. My faves were the Kai Gor Rhae (Phuket style chicken thigh) and Seua Rhong Haii (Wagyu beef).
3️⃣ Tarocco (Berkeley): This was such a wholesome meal! I love that this Barcelona inspired cafe offers healthy options that change seasonally.
4️⃣ Monster Pho (Oakland): This mother and son owned Viet spot turned 10 this year, and I honestly feel like the food has gotten better and better.
5️⃣ Poppy Bagels (Oakland): Finally tried this Temescal District fave! The Veggie Bagel lives up to the hype, and they have a cute patio in the back.
6️⃣ Good Luck Gato (Oakland): A new izakaya cantina that combines the best of Japanese and Mexican cuisine. Yes this is a loaded Baked Potato done Azn style.
7️⃣ Saucy (Oakland): Japanese and Thai fusion featuring delicious sake cocktails! This Pandan Cake with Ube Ice Cream was the star.
8️⃣ Handroll Project (San Francisco): Each handroll was scrumptious, with the Chef’s Choice being my fave (for the life of me I can’t remember what it was). Be sure to make a reservation online!
9️⃣ LUNA Mexican Kitchen (San Jose): Such a fantastic place to celebrate! This Parrillada was perfect for sharing. Be sure to join the Yelp Waitlist ahead of time!
🔟 Marica (Oakland): If you love seafood, go here! This was such a sweet birthday setting for my bday night, and these Shrimp Corncakes were delicious.

Have you been to any of these spots?

#bayareafoodie #oaklandfoodie #bestfoodbayarea

This was the first time we’d gone back to Oahu t

This was the first time we’d gone back to Oahu together since our wedding there in 2019! Given everything that transpired in January, this lil’ trip for Roger’s bday to the island was the perfect getaway to unplug and decompress for a bit. It was filled with incredible hikes, food (of course), and we happened to be there during the Lexus Pipe Pro surf competition to watch the best surfers in the world take on the famous pipeline.

NATURE HIGHLIGHTS FROM OAHU:
1️⃣-2️⃣ A’iea Loop Trail (the coolest view of the highway!)
3️⃣ Sunset Beach during our 1.5 mile walk from our car to the crowd at Lexus Pipe Pro
4️⃣ Beautiful and quiet afternoon at Mālaekahana State Recreation Area

FOOD HIGHLIGHTS FROM OAHU:
1️⃣ Banan (Waikiki): Dairy-free and so smooth and delicious. Loved the Riss Moore.
2️⃣ Da Bald Guy (Kahuku): As seen on Netflix! Go early in the day before they sell out. The Pan Fried Poke was a refreshing change from all the raw fish I’d been eating.
3️⃣ Haleiwa Bowls (North Shore): The best Acai Bowl I had on the trip.
4️⃣ Po’ai by Pono Potions (Chinatown): Such a unique and interesting drink menu! Loved their matcha options.
5️⃣ Tanioka’s (Waipahu): We got to revisit our fantastic wedding caterer! Such a great selection of poke and grab and go options. Plan for a wait to order at lunch time (all counter service).
6️⃣ Seven Brothers (North Shore): The coconut shrimp is so good!

#visithawaii #exploreoahu #oahuhikes

Celebrating one of my oldest and bestest friends i

Celebrating one of my oldest and bestest friends in Cabo 💚. Katie and I met in grade 6 when we hit it off writing lil’ skits together for class. To this day, we still refer to each other as brothers, Larry (Katie) and Barry (me), thanks to a bit we wrote about us hosting a talk show as brothers with rhyming names. It’s been incredible watching each other grow up over the past two decades, and I’m excited to welcome Karim to the “family” 😜.

🇲🇽 Highlights from the Cabo Bachelorette:
✔️ Clear boat tour to the famous arch
✔️ Private yoga class on our Airbnb’s roof with @bajamoonyoga
✔️ Private chef dinner with Chef Alan of @amor_amor__food_service
✔️ Self-guided Taco Tour at Tacos Guss, El Paisa, and 1&Only Taco
✔️ Randomly stumbling upon the Oppenheim Group Cabo next to our delicious dinner at @haciendacocina
✔️ Brunch on the beach at @thesandbarloscabos
✔️ Teaching the girls my Hipline choreography to Giddy Up by Shania Twain and drilling it for two hours into the night (I swear this was way more fun than it sounds)

#cabosanlucas #cabobachelorette #visitmexico

🇨🇴 MUST DO IN CARTAGENA: Visit San Felipe de

🇨🇴 MUST DO IN CARTAGENA: Visit San Felipe de Barajas Castle. Not only does a trip to the fort offer a view into the region’s rich history, but it also provides the most incredible view of the city (especially during sunset).

Built in 1536, the fort underwent multiple attempted seizures throughout its history. Lonely Planet applauds the structure as “the greatest fortress ever built by the Spaniards in any of their colonies”.

🎟️ The castle is a short walk from the city center and is only a few dollars per person for entry.

🎆 I’ve also thrown in some pics from pregaming for NYE the night before at our Airbnb in Boca Grande. Highly recommend staying in this neighborhood just outside of Centro Historico.

#cartagenadeindias #colombiatravel #cartagenacolombia🇨🇴

🇨🇴 MUST DO IN CARTAGENA: Explore the city’

🇨🇴 MUST DO IN CARTAGENA: Explore the city’s Centro Histórico. When I look back at our few days in town, I mostly remember how vibrant, lively, and beautiful the center is. Buildings are painted in bright yellows, pinks, blues, and purples and there are pretty flowers and plants draped from all the balconies. In the Getsemaní neighborhood, you’ll find a range of street art and picturesque alleyways, such as “umbrella alley”. Plus, you’ll often hear incredible live music in most restaurants and bars. High above the streets, you’ll find rooftop bars with amazing views of town.

We did a free walking tour of the area with @free_tour_cartagena and highly recommend one to learn more about the history and culture of the region.

#cartagenadeindias #colombiatravel #centrohistoricocartagena

🇨🇴 Cartagena has a phenomenal bar scene! We

🇨🇴 Cartagena has a phenomenal bar scene! We loved their delicious cocktails and beautiful interiors across the city center.

FAVORITE BARS IN CARTAGENA:
1️⃣ Pink Dolphin Gastrobar (such a fun, vibrant interior)
2️⃣ Bar Cuzco (delightful range of cocktails)
3️⃣ Alquimico (World’s Top 50 Bars list)
4️⃣ Cafe Havana (a Cuban experience where we celebrated NYE)

PLUS, A COUPLE COFFEE SHOP HIGHLIGHTS
IN CARTAGENA:
☕️ Abaco Libros y Cafe (it’s also a bookstore!)
☕️ Libertario Coffee Roasters

#cartagenadeindias #colombiatravel #cartagenatravel

🇨🇴 The food in Cartagena, Colombia was incre

🇨🇴 The food in Cartagena, Colombia was incredible. It is a seafood haven, and everything was so fresh and vibrant. I’m salivating just reminiscing about it.

FAVORITE RESTAURANTS IN CARTAGENA: 1️⃣ Restaurante Sambal (the seafood rice is a must!)
2️⃣ Mar y Zielo (this ceviche was so wonderfully complex and flavorful)
3️⃣ Restaurante-Bar San Nicolas (the interior is so cool and the coconut mint lemonade is a must)
4️⃣ Morena Cartagena (the bohemian interior is super cool)
5️⃣ La Brioche Centro Historico (I mean, have you seen avocado like this before?)
6️⃣ CANCHA Cevicheria (ceviche is in the name; you gotta get it)

There are so many other spots that looked fantastic, but we were limited on time!

#cartagenadeindias #cartagenarestaurantes #colombiatravel

🇨🇴 MUST DO IN CARTAGENA: Day trip to the Ros

🇨🇴 MUST DO IN CARTAGENA: Day trip to the Rosario Islands. We all agreed this was our favorite activity on our trip. The 7.5 hour catamaran excursion was such a great way to see the city, the islands (which looked like they could be the setting for “Survivor”), and experience the crystal clear blue waters.

What caught us by surprise was how delicious the boat lunch was and how fantastic (and affordable) the drinks were. Their Mai Tais were a highlight!

🚤 We booked the “Rosario Islands Catamaran with Lunch and Snorkel” experience through Get Your Guide, which was hosted by Bona Vida Catamaranes S.A.S.

#cartagenadeindias #colombiatravel #rosarioislands

🆕 My favorite Bay Area restaurants that opened

🆕 My favorite Bay Area restaurants that opened over the past few months!

It’s truly never a dull moment in the Bay Area 😋

1️⃣ Secrets of Tiger (Emeryville): Their Shibuya Toast is filled with noods and so good! Feels like you’re in Hawaii.
2️⃣ Mensho (Oakland): So happy they opened an East Bay location! Join the waitlist online before going in.
3️⃣ Sandai & Kopi Bar (Walnut Creek): Delicious and beautiful Indonesian plates that also doubles as a coffee shop.
4️⃣ Bocado (San Francisco): Gorgeous Peruvian spots with delicious food and cocktails. Loved this Shrimp Causa.
5️⃣ Monsoon (Oakland): The best Vietnamese I’ve had in a long time! Loved this seafood pho.
6️⃣ Blossom & Root (Danville): Entirely vegan spot with delicious cocktails.
7️⃣ Firebrand Artisan Breads (Alameda): Their new location is super cute and spacious.
8️⃣ Hanshin Pocha (Oakland): Definitely my new favorite late-night Korean spot! This green onion pancake is incredible.
9️⃣ Eggy’s Neighborhood Kitchen (Berkeley): A classic feeling breakfast and brunch spot with a beautiful outdoor seating area.
🔟 Pixiu Mala Hongtang (Oakland): Malatang has finally arrived! I keep going back to try different combinations.

#bayareafoodie #oaklandfoodie #bestfoodbayarea

🇨🇦 MY FAVOURITE VANCOUVER RESTAURANTS & MEAL

🇨🇦 MY FAVOURITE VANCOUVER RESTAURANTS & MEALS (IN 2023)

Aside from reconnecting with friends and family when I go home, exploring the food scene in Vancouver is something I look forward to every time.

1️⃣ Raisu (Kitsilano): Every item in this lunch omakase was delightful. No editing was done to make this udon bowl look this big.
2️⃣ 17C (Kingsway): Fresh fruit, perfectly snowy powder, and beautiful presentation.
3️⃣ Daigyo (Robson & Denman): Omg this was such a delight. Was so happy to find a new Japanese sweets cafe in Van.
4️⃣ Zarak by Afghan Kitchen (Main St): Fantastic dinner experience with excellent service. My faves were these mantu dumplings and the fried chicken.
5️⃣ Do Chay (Kingsway): Really delicious Vietnamese small plates to share.
6️⃣ Bun Cha Ca Hoang Yen (Victoria Dr): This spot is always packed for a reason! It’s a well oiled machine. Their crab noodle soup is a star.
7️⃣ Neptune Palace Seafood Restaurant (Marpole): This has become my family’s go-to dim sum spot! They consistently do high quality dim sum and are always introducing mew items.
8️⃣ Saku (Robson): Delicious tonkatsu that is really well presented.
9️⃣ Suika (South Granville): This izakaya has been a fave of mine since university! Every dish is delicious and service is excellent.
🔟 Memory Corner (Richmond): Super fun interior and Taiwanese comfort food at its finest. Get the meat sauce rice (lu rou fan)!

#veryvancouver #yvrfoodie #vancouvereats

My 8 days in London are difficult to sum up. My he

My 8 days in London are difficult to sum up. My heart is so full after spending time with all the folks across the globe that I work with virtually, and there was such a warm and supportive energy that radiated throughout our Google Product Experts Summit. Seeing hundreds of community members come together (from a range of different cultures and backgrounds) was really special, and I was blown away by the team’s execution of the almost 800 person event.

I had the honor of co-emceeing our event for a third time. It’s surreal given that I remember being 20 years old in my first office job (shoutout to the BC Cancer Foundation), and turning red each time I had to speak in a team meeting!

Not only was seeing my coworkers and community members a blast, but I was also able to unite with one of my besties for a solid 13 hours, which beats our record of traveling together for 30 hours in Lisbon last year 😂. After the summit, Sheila and I spent most of Thursday together until 2am, then I went straight to the hotel to pick up my luggage before going to the airport for the journey home. I spent half a day at home before Roger and I flew to Vegas for When We Were Young. To say I was tired is an understatement 😹 but wouldn’t have changed any of it.

📸 PICTURED:
1️⃣-5️⃣ Product Experts Summit featuring our wrap party at Madame Tussauds (and shoutout to my co-emcee @nataliaxnatalia)
6️⃣ Reunited with @sheilalikespie at the very fancy Prada Caffe (the start to a marathon of a day)
7️⃣ Discovering my hidden talent of guessing the weight of dogs at @manpreet0407’s incredible home pub quiz
8️⃣ Seeing Blink-182 at the O2!
9️⃣ A moment of solo tranquility at the cutest cafe @howmatchaofficial
🔟 Matcha soft serve and kinako toast at @shackfuyu

#londonlove #visitlondon #thisislondon #madametussauds #londoncalling

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