Welcome to South Texas! In this travel blog, I invite you to start a journey through the enchanting South Texas region, primarily the Rio Grande Valley, sharing my personal perspective as a local travel writer. Tangentially inspired by "The Case Against Travel," I believe that exploring local attractions can provide deeper insights and more authent

Las Vegas is known for its vibrant nightlife and bustling casinos. However, it also hosts numerous conferences every year, such as the 2023 National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Conference. As a Facilities professional, I decided to attend this conference, and it was an enlightening experience that expanded my understanding of building safety

Our first trip to Las Vegas, NV back in 2017 was a unique experience that we'll never forget. We went for a timeshare presentation by Bluegreen Vacation Club, which is associated with Choice Hotels. They lodged us for a couple of days at the Tuscany Suites & Casino. We flew out of McAllen International Airport (MFE) to McCarran International Ai

There are many great places for barbecue in Texas. In fact, some Texans will occasionally make the weekend pilgrimage to their favorite barbecue spots, which may be hours away. And then, there are local favorite barbecue spots that everybody in town knows and frequents. The Drunken Chicken is one of those local favorites in Mission, Texas.  Entranc

This has been an unusually active month between me and American Express. I have upgraded one card, opened up a new card, and am having another replaced after a fraud alert.  An Old Personal Platinum Card Business Platinum Card Upgrade First, I upgraded the AMEX Business Gold card to a Business Platinum card. When I first got the Gold card, I was ce

We recently booked a stay at the Embassy Suites by Hilton McAllen Convention Center to celebrate our wedding anniversary. We had never stayed at this property. However, we had visited their bar and restaurant when we have gone out on dates. We generally like Embassy Suites hotels. We enjoy their evening Happy Hours, their attentive staff, and the l

Taking a Break I have been reading about uric acid and its effects leading to diabetes and other maladies. I originally intended to get a haircut. But, as it is Independence Day, the shop was closed. I decided to stop for a beer. Ironically, beer can increase uric acid levels in your blood. But, I haven’t finished reading the book, so I’m OK. 🤪

We have written about our relationship with American Express over the years, the good and the bad. We fell out of their good graces for a while. Now we are rebuilding our relationship. At the moment, we have opened four cards with them since April 2022. We expect that we will open more cards at some point. But, before going into that, let's go over

The City of Falfurrias, Texas is a small community in South Texas. It is a two-hour drive south from San Antonio, and a one-hour drive north from the Texas border with Mexico. Falfurrias is on the way between many destinations. But, it is not often a place people intentionally choose to visit. Falfurrias Historical Marker Admittedly, Falfurrias is

As travel is starting to bounce back after two years of lockdowns, I decided to take a closer look at the Choice Privileges Visa card, which we have had for several years without scrutiny.  About Choice Privileges Choice Privileges is the Choice Hotels loyalty program that awards points for stays, which can be redeemed for free stays. As with most