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A Spanish proverb states, “The belly rules the mind.” Today, that proverb is even truer.  Thanks to globalization and immigration, the United States has become a melting pot of cultures, but more importantly, of food. Instead of having to travel to Thailand to grab a bowl of yellow curry, we can simply find a family-owned restaurant right down the street to satisfy our cravings. Americans need to take advantage of this accessibility by exploring different restaurants and ethnic foods.

Of course we all have our favorite go-to restaurants that serve up familiar dishes time and time again, but it can be exciting to try different places every once in awhile. When you are looking for restaurants in Round Rock TX, you should try ones that you have never been to.  Little hole in the wall joints owned by a mom and pop can actually turn out some of the most delicious food you will ever taste.  You simply never know unless you try.

Even if you are too conservative to branch out from your favorite eateries, a way to break up your timidity is by trying different things on the menu.  You may have your favorite dish that never fails you, but there might be other courses that are even more enjoyable.  It can also be fun to let your server pick all of your menu items for you.  They work there, so they know better than anyone what food is the best on the menu.

When you go to a restaurant with ethnic foods you have never heard of, don’t be afraid to ask your server what some of the dishes are.  No amount of braveness can turn a boiled fish head dish into something savory.  If you don’t know what the dish is or you don’t know how to read the menu, use your server to help you.

My uncle lives in Scottsdale, Arizona and any chance I get I take a trip to visit him.  I have been coming to Scottsdale for over a decade now and every year I fall more in love with this beautiful place.  Well I would say I am in love with everything except the ridiculous hot temperatures in the summer.

This year we spent a lot of time trying the new restaurants in Scottsdale. I have to admit that there are some really modern and upscale restaurants in Scottsdale and I have been to a lot of them, but these new ones were terrific.  If you enjoying eating out Scottsdale is a great place for you to try as there are tons of great options for you to choose from.  The cuisine is moderately priced depending on where you go and you can literally eat food from around the world.

Another one of my favorite activities in Scottsdale is playing golf.  I have been playing golf my whole life, but you probably wouldn’t know it since I’m not that good.  It is however something that I love to do and we play at least once a day while I am visiting my uncle. 

It certainly doesn’t hurt that he owns a home on a golf course.  So next time you are in Scottsdale be sure to check out their dining scene as it is one of the best in Arizona and don’t forget to bring your golf clubs.

One of my favorite cities to visit is San Francisco. I have a number of friends that gather each year in the city and get together to exchange war stories and catch up on what each of us has been doing for the past few months. Because we all come in from different parts of the country we enjoy a variety of activities that keep the adrenaline flowing, but inevitably at the end of the evening we always end up downtown at an Irish bar. San Francisco has a number of great venues that are lively and entertaining, but for the crew I get together with there is something friendly and inviting about the pub that we frequent when we are all in town.

Of course we take the responsibility of assigning a designated driver seriously, which inevitably ends up being me as I am one of the few who do not drink. In spite of my choice I still enjoy spending time hearing about all of the adventurous travels of my cohorts and eating a well prepared meal. In my opinion there are very few restaurants that can match the quality of food served up by an authentic tavern.

Typically, my band of companions and I begin and end our weeklong escapades in the city by the bay, but we do take advantage of everything that Northern California has to offer as we attend meetings and training exercises that strengthen our friendship and help us to reach for greater personal accomplishments. Once we are done with the days events we can usually be found in the financial district having a good time at a sports bar in San Francisco.

One of the greatest joys that we get to experience is eating food.  Just think about the last time you had a world class chef cook you a meal and I bet your mouth starts to water.  However, you probably also remember the last time you had a very poorly cooked meal.  I bet it left you feeling a little disappointed and under nourished.

If you like to try cuisine from many different cultures chances are you have had the chance to try Italian food.  Italian cuisine is one of the most popular cuisines in the United States and for good reason, it is delicious. 

There are so many different types of Italian food that you can try and recently I was in North Carolina for work and I went to several Raleigh Italian restaurants.  Many of these restaurants were fantastic and I was able to try things like chicken parmesan, stuffed ravioli, and many other great options.

Another thing that is great about Italian cuisine would have to be the desserts.  One of the most popular and favorites of many is Tiramisu.  If you have never had traditional Italian Tiramisu it is something you need to experience right away.  It will take your breath away.

So next time you are in Raleigh stop in to enjoy the Raleigh Italian restaurants you won’t be disappointed.

We live in an amazing country.  I have only visited a small fraction of the great cities across our large country, but I have seen enough to be extremely impressed.  I know there are many who have not done a lot of traveling.  In my family growing up, we did a lot of camping, and went to Disneyland occasionally, but that was it.  I guess I am the odd egg out.  I am the only one of my siblings or parents who has ever left the country either.  I believe you have to leave to know what we really have here. 

If you are like my family, I encourage you to get out and experience the United States.  My recommendations start with taking a trip up to Yellowstone Park and renting a cabin.  Next hit the ski slopes in Utah’s rocky mountains and while you are there, head down to Moab to do some mountain biking on the Slick Rock bike trail.  Later, travel to Illinois and take a Chicago boat tour followed by a visit to the top of Sears Tower.  The next thing on your list is to go on a dinner cruise on the Mississippi River.  And then book a flight up to Alaska for a salmon and halibut fishing excursion. 

You get the idea.  These are all things that we all would desire to do, so let’s go do them.  Life is for living and sharing experiences with our family.  While it may not be realistic to do everything we want at once, plan it out, take a trip every six months.  Spend some time with your family in a new setting.