Little Notes

The First McDonalds Restaurant

Growing up I remember McDonald’s was just as exciting to go to as it is for adults to go to Costco. So when I came across an email promoting the movie “The Founder,” I thought nothing of it until the words San Bernardino caught my eye and I wondered, “what movie could possibly be made about my hometown?” Come to find out San Bernardino is the location of the first McDonald’s restaurant! Having discovered this I looked it up and found out that the restaurant is now an independently owned museum dedicated to McDonald’s memorabilia—and this of course meant I had to pay a visit to this historic landmark.

If you enjoy learning about history, this might be a place you’d like to see. Above are a few pictures of the mural that is painted on the wall of the building. There are a bunch of fun facts written on the mural, telling mini stories about events and things that occurred in San Bernardino County. What historical places exist in your hometown?

The Open Road

La Promenade Samuel De Champlain, Quebec City

Quebec City Bridge

Acadia National Park, Maine

Cape Elizabeth Lighthouse, Maine

Navajo Loop Trail, Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah

Peek-A-Boo Loop Trail, Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah

This summer I went on a few road trips that took me across the United States and through parts of Canada. I wandered into Quebec City, Acadia National Park, Portland in Maine, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Utah, and finally back to California.

I've been on road trips before but for some reason these travels left me appreciating the experience of traveling by car even more. I got to see a side of the U.S. that I would have never imaged—from the most stunning purple and pink sunsets that I've ever seen in Maine to the charming landscapes of Ohio—just watching the country go from dense green foliage to rich red canyons was an experience in itself.

The best thing about traveling by car is that it gives you the opportunity to see places you would have never seen if you simply hopped onto an airplane. Driving allows you to make unplanned stops and explore unknown destinations—so I'm looking forward to going on more journeys like these!

This is Boston

My time in the Boston area has come to an end. Although there were a lot of events that I couldn't attend (Patriots Superbowl celebration parade, Boston Marathon, the whole fall season) I want to be able to remember some of the things that I did do—so I created a short video of my everyday life, including places I walked to and parks I worked out at.

I've really enjoyed the people I've met and conversations I've had during my stay and those are the very things I will miss the most.