Experience Baseball: PNC Park Takes Advantage of Surroundings

Just recently had the opportunity to spend the weekend in Pittsburgh and enjoy baseball at PNC Park one of the 30 MLB stadiums to enjoy the game. As part of the trip, we went to the Roberto Clemente Museum, where we got to learn more about his legendary career on and off the field. Today MLB honors his legacy with an award that has his name and is given to a player who demonstrates the values our Hall of Famer displayed in his commitment to community and understanding the value of helping others. A post on how Pittsburgh celebrates his sports and personal life will be available soon.

One of the Best Views in Baseball, for sure…

Pittsburgh’s history is varied with continuous evolution: from a gateway to the west in the 18^th century to a center for technology, healthcare, and education in the 2020’s. Important to their story the city’s abundant coal and iron ore led to its dominance in steel production, earning it the moniker “Steel City” in the 1900’s. At one point in time the city was behind New York and Chicago in corporate headquarters and had the most US Stockholders per capita.

Awesome Views from atop the Duquesne Incline

Today baseball continues to be an integral part of Pittsburgh life, the location of the stadium and how they celebrate their history makes PNC Park a great experience, if you add the incredible Roberto Clemente Museum you are ready for an unforgettable baseball experience. After spending the weekend in Pittsburgh I can tell you that if you were born in Puerto Rico or if you are a baseball fan it must be on the to do list.

One of the bet ball players ever, the museum is a must / Retire 21

The Pittsburgh Pirates play at PNC Park, a ballpark located downtown along one of the rivers that crosses the city, this ballpark opened in 2001 and has been ranked the best ballpark to enjoy a game many times and by many media outlets. With an awesome location, great food, and superb environment it provides a great experience to any baseball fan. After more than 20 years since opening day the stadium continues to satisfy the needs of fans in 2025.

Arrive with time, take a walk along the stadium, there are cool things to see and enjoy

On game day if you are downtown you can walk across the Roberto Clemente bridge and get to the Center Field entrance, where a huge Statue of #21 Roberto Clement receive you. Crossing the bridge to the stadium must be one of the coolest ways to arrive to a game and pump fans for a superb ballpark experience.

Once you are inside the stadium, there are many spots where they share insights on the history of their franchise and special moments that are part of Pirate history. Views from the stadium are awesome, seating from almost anywhere in the ballpark highlight the Pittsburgh downtown skyline along the river and the Roberto Clemente bridge, possibly one of the best views in baseball. There are great food options across the stadium including the famous Primati Bros. Sandwich a combination of grilled meat, melted provolone cheese, coleslaw, tomatoes, and French fries; had the opportunity to try one at the original place and it was fantastic.

For one of the games we sat at the Baseball Club Level, here you will find lounges that include a couple of whisky bars, additional premium food offerings, and even pool tables that you can use before or during the game all of these in a climate control environment. The view from these seats are incredible with an open view of the downtown skyline, getting to concessions or the bathroom is super easy. Along the halls they have tons of memorabilia and photos of the Pirates history, adding to the experience of the game.

The results of the game were not what we wanted, our Mets got swept in the weekend series but watching a baseball game in person of your favorite team is always something special. PNC Park and Pittsburgh make the experience even better with awesome views, Pirate history across the stadium, and fans that know and respect the game making it memorable. If you are a baseball enthusiast PNC Park is a must.

We continue in our journey to visit the 30 MLB stadiums; PNC Park was #14 and a special one since we got to know more about our Roberto Clemente. Thanks for taking time to read this post, please share it with your friends and sign in to receive our updates; also follow us on Instagram, and Facebook search for BORICUASLIVINGABROAD. Until next time…

Churchill Downs: Home of the Legendary Kentucky Derby

If you ask for a list of iconic sport venues, Churchill Downs the home of the Kentucky Derby, often dubbed “The Most Exciting Two Minute in Sports” would be at the top of it. Opened in 1875, it has more than 150 years of history including hosting the signature Kentucky Derby continuously including during both World Wars and Covid. Is the longest non-interrupted event held in the United States.

The racetrack was named for the family (John and Henry Churchill) that leased the initial 80 acres of land to build the site, done by Meriwether Lewis Clarck Jr. It was at the right time, since other tracks were closing. The property has evolved from the original design, today it holds more that 150,000 people during the Derby (using the infield), has luxury suites, and a big board that could fit 6 basketball courts.

Not all the renovations have been to increase capacity, in 2023 they inaugurated a new paddock that the horses use to prepare for their races and spectators can get close to the beautiful thoroughbred horses. In the property you will also find the Kentucky Derby Museum which focuses on the history of the Kentucky Derby and Churchill Downs, a 2-story building that bring the interesting story of the best horse race in the world.

If you like horse racing or tune the TV every year to see the Kentucky Derby, going to the museum is a must. There you will find tons of information on how the race had become one of the top events in sports every year. One of the highlights in the museum is a movie run on a 360-degree theater, where they try to bring Derby Day emotion to the audience. The museum is a great half day of immersion to Kentucky thoroughbred horse racing.

Churchill Downs only has around 70 days of racing a year divided into 3 different meets, if you are planning to go make sure there are races, and you could do a full day of racing with good drinks and food while taking a chance with some bets. I would also recommend taking the Churchill Downs tour, this activity is almost half a day and start early in the morning watching horses practicing and you will have an inside view of the life at Churchill Downs.

A great activity if you are doing the Bourbon trail, and an awesome opportunity to know better Kentucky. Thanks for taking time to look at this post, please share it with your friends and sign in to receive our updates; also follow us on Instagram, and Facebook search for #BORICUASLIVINGABROAD. Until next time…

Exploring the Bourbon Trail: A Traveler’s Guide to Louisville

Just four and a half hours driving south from Chicago you will reach Louisville, a great place to use as base if you want to explore the Bourbon Trail in Kentucky. Louisville is the most populated city of the state of Kentucky and has many cool thing to do like horse racing in Churchill Downs, visit the Muhammad Ali Museum or the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory, eat a Hot Brown sandwich in one of the many restaurants or just go to Whiskey Row and learn about how Bourbon is made in one of the more than 10 distilleries they currently have.

We went on a short trip during Memorial Day weekend looking to learn more about Bourbon, how is made and the history behind the distilleries and their brands. Exploring restaurants in Chicago we have found a great selection of Bourbon in many of them, trying them neat or in Old Fashioned. Researching the brands we found the Bourbon Trail, a growing tourist attraction around Bourbon distilleries including tours, restaurants, and experiences. We found a good excuse to escape the city and enjoy some of the best Kentucky has to offer.

George Garvin Brown one of the pioneers of the Bourbon Industry / Sipping and Chillin in a Rickhouse

Bourbon is a barrel aged American Whiskey, made primarily of corn tracing back to the 18^th Century. There is no certainty of who invented it but there was a Baptist minister called Elijah Craig and some people attribute him as the originator another story calls for the first bourbon to be produced in Bourbon County in Kentucky. No matter where bourbon was first produced, Kentucky is the place to enjoy and learn about Bourbon. In 1964 the US Congress recognized Bourbon as a distinctive product of the USA, making it unique a unique offering to the world.

Each distillery do their best to provide a memorable experience

There are rules that need to be followed to call your product Bourbon. There is no aging requirement, but usually Bourbon is aged at least 4 years (2 years to be labeled straight bourbon) and very important no flavoring or coloring is added during the whole process. Here is a summary of the rules:

Must be Produced in the US (Not only in Kentucky)
At least 51% Corn (Can be more, no less)
Distilled no higher than 160proof (80% ABV)
Must be aged in new charred Oak barrels at no more than 125 proof (62.5% ABV)
Bottled at no less than 80 proof (40%ABV)

2 Key elements in the Bourbon expression: Limestone + Water / Barrel Charred – (Above) Aligator Char

There are a good number of distilleries to visit, our focus in the selection was around having different experiences at each stop, while exploring known and new brands as we went through the different distilleries. Not every day you have the chance to go places that have more than 150 years of history and have helped create part of the history of a country. During our visit we came across great stories on some of the most iconic bourbon brands. Below are the places we visited along with some of the stories we got to experience. If you plan to go, I invite you to explore different areas of the trail and also different sizes of distilleries; one thing is constant every place is awesome and beautiful.

OLD FORESTER DISTILLERY: Americas First Bottled Bourbon Brand, being sold sealed to protect the product from adulteration. Distillery opened in 1870 by George Garvin Brown one of the founders of Brown Forman, the tour is downtown on Whiskey Row a great place to start the journey. Really liked their Old Forester 1897 a bourbon that follows the Bottled in Bond standard that was put in place to ensure quality back in the 1890’s and still being done today.

Interesting memorabilia, advertising and the first sealed Bourbon bottles

WOODFORD RESERVE DISTILLERY: Traces back to 1812, currently a national historic landmark. Is here where the Sour Mash fermentation was perfected, promoting consistency of character from batch to batch. It was purchased twice by Brown Forman and the brand was launched in 1996. Currently the Bourbon Sponsor of the Kentucky Derby, on the way to their distillery you go through beautiful ranches and even a practice horse racetrack. I already knew their Woodford Reserve double oaked but now understanding more about craft that goes into production made the expression more enjoyable.

Walking through the distillery is a trip to the past…

BUFFALO TRACE DISTILLERY: They claim to be the oldest continuously operating distillery in the United States, it is also a National Historic Landmark. Records say that distilling started in 1775, located in Frankfort KY the capital of the state. Property is beautiful and in 2016 during renovations on a building they found the remains of the original distillery building dating back to 1873, is crazy the amount of history on that land. Our tour was free and included a tasting, you need to reserve ahead of time. From the tasting I liked Blanton’s, the first single barrel bourbon that was first commercialized in 1984. The top of the bottle has a jockey and a horse, they sell 8 different positions (one for each letter) and is the scenes of a horse race.

Buffalo Trace is recovering from floods and they are doing an awesome job

HEAVEN HILL DISTILLERY: Founded in 1935, is privately owned by the Shapira family is the second largest holder of Bourbon in the world. As part of their business model, they were producing Bulk whiskey for third parties, while producing some of their own brands. They had a big fire on 1996, where the plant was almost destroyed and lost 90,000 barrels of product. The company survived though provision of production capacity by fellow local bourbon companies like Brown-Forman and Jim Beam a great sign of the values of these companies. Here I liked a Whisky not Bourbon because is only 37% corn 12% Malted Barley, and 51% Rye; the expression is very different to bourbon, but the expression had very nice flavor it is a good choice for Mixology the name Rittenhouse Straight Rye Whisky

Good Blend of Old and New across the distillery…

WILLETT DISTILLERY: A small family-owned distillery in Bardstown, KY . They also make their own product and serve as contract bottler for other companies that want to market their own brand. They also have a very nice restaurant in their property, that makes a great place to end a day of tasting and learning about bourbon. You can enjoy Whisky flights from the different brands they have at the restaurant, while pairing to some great food. Here I enjoyed a bourbon called Speakeasy, smooth flavor and sweetness was a great companion to the food we order as we finish a great day in the Bourbon Trail.

Nice grounds, awesome restaurant and a balcony to end a great day!!!

Thankful for the opportunity to continue traveling and having great experiences, I encourage you to do the same and plan to go somewhere you really like and experience it full. Thanks for taking time to look at this post, please share it with your friends and sign in to receive our updates; also follow us on Instagram, and Facebook search for #BORICUASLIVINGABROAD. Until next time…

Take me out to the ball game… Opening weekend was a hit…

If you are a true baseball fan the arrival of spring means only one thing, PLAYBALL!!!! Major League Baseball is back. Records will be broken; millions of fans will go to the stadiums to see which of the 30 teams will be called World Series Champions. Baseball is the National Pastime in the United States, there is a movement to make opening day a national holiday so the fans can gather and enjoy this beautiful game in the ballpark or at their place of choice.

Opening day is special in baseball, the start of a long season brings hope to all team participating and is the beginning of new stories that will create lifetime memories for players and fans. I have been a Mets fan since the 80’s and while there are not many World Series championships (2 World Series ’69 & ’86), for this season hopes are high with the signing of Juan Soto, Lindor coming back after a spectacular year, and the return of the Polar Bear Pete Alonso for at least another year. For a cool story before the start check this video on Cam Smith call to the show from the Houston Astros a rookie player drafted in the 1st round in 2023 by the Cubs and then traded to the Astros.

Possibly one of the best 1-2-3 batters line up in the game today

Mets were opening the 2025 season in Houston to play the Astros a team with good history of boricuas players including Jose “Cheo” Cruz who is inducted into the Astros Hall of Fame. We had the opportunity in the past to enjoy games in Daikin Park (Previously Minute Maid Park) and enjoy Astros baseball, when Carlos Correa was on the team. Going back on the opening weekend with the Mets playing there would make it special. Game #1 was Thursday, but the next 2 were Friday and Saturday giving us the opportunity to watch both games. Plan was in motion to enjoy opening weekend MLB baseball.

We arrived at downtown Houston and quickly prepared to walk to the stadium and join the party, immediately you could feel the excitement of Mets fans with many people walking around the city with Mets colors. You always find fans from the visiting team, but it was clear that it was opening weekend and with the hype around the team plus a fan group named the 7 Line Army the number of Mets fans was bigger than normal. The stadium had a great atmosphere for both teams and after losing Thursday, Mets won the Friday game in a very tight contest it was an awesome experience with loud “Let’s Go Mets” chants and the Astros cheering their team with good energy.

Tons of 7 Line Mets fan at the tailgate before the game. Soto engaging with fans pre-game

The last game of the series saw the Mets lost to the Astros on an almost sold-out stadium, atmosphere again was great, and you could see 4 big sections where the 7 Line Mets fan group were seating. I was impressed with the number of Mets die-hard fans that are part of the group and travel across the country to support their team. At the end of the first series Mets were playing with a 1-2 record, as a fan you want the “W” in every game. Hey, this start is better than the 0-5 start from last year. The team showed good signs of being a very competitive team, with a chance to fight for the championship.

Great attendance for both games at Daikin Park

The extra innings for this opening weekend was going to Arlington to watch the Rangers play the Boston Red Sox in their home field called Global Life Field with Jacob de Grom pitching for the local team. Since we arrived in Chicago, we have embraced baseball and started visiting the different cities and stadiums where MLB teams are located and the Global Life Field would be stadium #10. The stadium is located near the AT&T stadium and right beside their old baseball stadium in a very nice area called Texas Live!; where you can do eating, drinking and watch a game or hear some live music.

3 big stadiums in the same area, and our Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez present

We got early to Arlington and have time to enjoy baseball culture in Arlington; you could see a good number of fans from the Red Sox and Rangers that got early enjoying the restaurants and bars outside the ballpark. Once I entered the stadium was impressed with how they build it with great spaces, great food (24-inch Hot Dog-Burrito) and entertainment including the dot race (Seems every MLB is getting a race on). If you are in the area, give yourself a chance to watch Rangers baseball and a must do, go to Hurtado BBQ and get their Brisket nachos, go early because the line is huge but for now the best nachos in a baseball stadium by far.

Huge spaces and great facilities, Huge Stores, Lines, and Food Options

It was a very good game, where Jacob de Grom had a solid outing and in a close game the Rangers won. It is always fun watch the local team win (Unless they play the Mets :-), the fans were into the game and cheer hard to support their team, Red Sox had fans but not as loud as the Mets were in Houston. Baseball has always been a game to be enjoyed with family and friends; took the opportunity and meet with one of my high school buddies and we spend a great afternoon.

Boricuas in the Rangers Hall of Fame and good friends that live in Texas!!!!

Excited for this new baseball season and for the trips to come and explore new cities and ballparks to enjoy this beautiful game. Thanks for taking time to look at this post, please share it with your friends and sign in to receive our updates; also follow us on Instagram, and Facebook search for #BORICUASLIVINGABROAD. Until next time…

Exploring the Korea Baseball Experience on Opening Weekend 2024… Ready for MLB 2025

Now that we are getting ready for the start of the new MLB season and looking back to my travel last year, I was lucky to experience Korean big leagues during their opening weekend while visiting Seoul, Korea. The KBO is a younger league when compared to MLB it was founded in 1982, just 43 years ago in comparison the National League that was established in 1876 or 149 years ago.

Old School Tickets and traditional presentation of teams!!!

Like many boricuas, I played baseball at a very young age (5-6 years old) my first league was in Sagrado Corazon (Cupey) and continued playing until I graduated from high school all these years generated tons of great memories that I still relive today. Playing baseball was about fun and friends, it was getting cable tv at home in the early 80’s where I truly became a fan, remember just watching games with my dad and manually switching from channel 5 (WGN-Cubs) to channel 8 (TBS-Braves) and watch the games. Eventually we also got WPIX and became a Mets fan in 1986 (Won World Series), today still waiting for them to win again (Topic for another post).

Mass Transportation in these big cities facilitates going to the games, language can make it difficult 🙂

Coming back to my opening day experience in Korea, baseball is one of the most followed sports and is the one with the highest live attendance for games. The KBO has 10 teams and stadiums that can seat more than 20,000 fans, each team play 144 games in a season playing 6 days a week with Monday off. The game that I saw featured the Kia Tigers vs the Doosan Bears, both teams started in 1982 the year the league started. The Kia Tigers are the most successful team in the league with 12 championships (2024 Champs), currently owned by the Kia corporation; the Bears are the local Seoul team with four championships under their belt, owned by Doosan the oldest running company in Korea (Founded 1896).

Once I got to the stadium, using their subway it was clear that the game would be a sell out with lots of people everywhere and huge lines to buy tickets. It was good that I arrived early, since language was going to be an issue, and it was a bit of a challenge to get my ticket to get in the game. After getting the ticket, decided to walk around the park and began to enjoy how they live the baseball culture. Walking towards the entrance I noticed fans at the game were on average much younger than the US, also you see more women in the stadium that in a ballpark in the US. Search for insight and found that women are embracing baseball a lot in Korea.

Inside the stadium the feeling and vibes were very similar than a game in the US, lots of food and drinks in some cases US staples but also you could find Korean delicacies like fried shrimps or noodles (Kimchi and Pork Belly, great combo!!!) also available merchandise of all sorts like personalized jerseys, caps, t-shirts. One machine that I found interesting was a vending machine that would print and sell custom baseball players trading cards, there was a long line during all the game with people making selections of their favorite player, since it was opening day, I assume that was the reason for the long line.

You have entertainers, driving the chanting for both teams!!!

When the game starts it is like watching a boxing match, the energy you see from both teams is incredible and I am talking both inside and outside the field. When a team goes to the offensive all their fans start rooting and chanting at the same time, to support the fans you see some entertainers that bring the crowd energy to another level. It was very impressive to see how this energy moves from one team to another as the game progress, you could see the fans were really into the game supporting their teams and also following the game. The energy during the game was incredible and how the fans enjoyed the game, made the experience better it was a victory for the Kia Tigers that day but for me it was a personal win to have the opportunity and enjoy baseball in the other side of the world.

My Korean baseball experience was very satisfying from getting to the ballpark to taking the train back and would recommend to any baseball fan to have it. People in Korea not only know the game, but they also truly enjoy it and makes it a great activity for friends and family. I truly think this sport will continue to grow in the future, with a strong young fan base and a product that can resemble a MLB experience. This week starts the 2025 MLB season and will be traveling to Houston to see my NY Mets in the opening weekend #LGM.

Happy to meet great people at work that kelp me on this adventure…

Thanks to my Korean friends for helping me having this experience and for you as a reader for taking time to look at this post, please share it with your friends and sign in to receive our updates; also follow us on Instagram, and Facebook search for #BORICUASLIVINGABROAD. Until next time…

Tips for an Unforgettable “Chinchorreo” Experience in Puerto Rico

If you ask a Boricua what is a “Chinchorro”? they will describe a small bar, that serves local food while playing local festive music. So “Chinchorreo” would be the act of going on a day trip stopping in a good number of “Chinchorros” to eat, drink, and have a good time with family and friends.

Puerto Rico have the best X-mas in the World!!!!

The word “Chinchorro” has different meaning in other places of Latin America, in Venezuela it can mean a hammock and in Cuba could mean a small boat. For us in Puerto Rico the ward “Chinchorro” has been used to call a small bar since 1930 according to historians; during that time, people used horses and carriages to move from place to place stopping in places to have food, drinks and get some rest.

Great place to go with friends or just meet new great people…

We are fortunate to have family and friends that like “Chinchorrear”, for us is a must do if you are spending time over the holidays. The activity is one that help showcase the beauty of our island, and how fun us Boricuas can be. There are many routes to select and do the activity, most picturesque ones are along the central mountains, going through different municipalities like: Cayey, Aibonito, Orocovis, Jayuya, Ciales. Every route is different, but all of them will offer good food, music, sights, and friendly people.

Country Side or near the sea, natural beauty is always present…

Once you get to a “Chinchorro”, there are a couple of tips to get the most enjoyment out of that stop and here are my 5 tips.

Plan to stop at 3-4 “Chinchorros” during your visit
- The idea is to spend time at each stop, so you can enjoy the best of what the place has to offer, Plan to spend on average 1-1.5 HR per stop. You are not in a hurry and use the time to enjoy the views, talk to the people and have fun
- You can stretch and go for places , in my opinion is not about quantity and more about the quality of the stop. I prefer to go less places but get to enjoy more time in the “Chinchorro” having fun, if a place is super full go to the next and maybe on the way back you can stop and go in.

All “Chinchorros” are not created equal…

Ask what are their specialties before ordering… then get some!!!
- Medalla is our local beer and it is a superb mass produced beer, Beer culture has grown in Puerto Rico and you will find a good number of small brands made by local breweries here a couple of breweries: Boqueron Brewing, Ocean Lab Brewing, Old Harbor
- Besides great beer, you can also find great cocktails in the different places. If you want to enjoy a cocktail, you may find a good creative mojito or an alcoholic drink with some fresh juice like grapefruit or Passion Fruit. As the “Chinchorros” have evolved the owners have identified that having great cocktails creates differentiation versus other places, just ask and see if they have some special drink that you can enjoy.

You will find a great selection of food and drinks…

If you see live music… STOP, you will get to enjoy a free show
- In all of the “Chinchorros” you will find music, either from a streaming service or some live presentation. This is an important piece in the experience and can either add to an awesome experience or make you go out fast and furious to another place. Get to the place and feel the vibe… you will quickly see if the music is adding to your experience or not
- Watch Out for a big bus of people getting down in a Chinchorro ready to party with their own instruments and start a “parranda”… Don’t be shy and get into the chorus, it adds to the fun. You will see this big groups celebrating birthdays, business retreats, boricuas from the “diaspora” or a high school reunion.

Music is an important part off of the outing… From professional to just for fun!!!

Be Patient… You are in Island Time
- Expect a good number of people at each stop… This places can get busy, just Chillax and go with the flow. If you went out to “Chinchorrear”, there is no need to stress over a line, take the time and start talking with the person you just met in the line or even better pay a drink to someone just for fun. We are here to have a blast!!!
- If you come from a big city, you will see a change of pace from the hustle and bustle of city life. This is an important element for you to understand, here seconds are minutes and people don’t have to punch a clock to get to the next meeting.

Happy to call Puerto Rico my “Patria” – “Boricua hasta en la luna”

If you are in Puerto Rico, give yourself a chance to a great day and connect to the island with a real experience. You can go to the Puerto Rico tourism (Discover Puerto Rico) page and just search “Chinchorro” and you will get a list of couple of them. Thanks for reading and please share this post with your friends. Sign in to get our updates. Also follow us on Instagram and Facebook. Search for #BORICUASLIVINGABROAD. Until next time….

Savor Chicago: Unique Burgers You Must Try

While some people argue that the hamburger originated in Germany, there is no doubt that in the United States it has been perfected. A simple dish to prepare but very hard to master; getting that right combination of ingredients with a flavorful patty that will make people come back again and again is not an easy feat. Since arriving to Chicago this summer, we have taken the opportunity to explore the city and enjoy the many great places to eat including finding that perfect burger place.

Chicago is a cool city to explore, how the river blends into the city priceless

Before we talk burger shop, let me will put some spiciness on what a great burger should include. For some less is better just bun-patty-cheese will do the trick, others say that the more toppings the better. For me a great burger should have: bun-patty-cheese a good sauce (elevate the umami) plus a veggie (preferred onion). When going to a burger, try their signature as the chef intended it. However, it is your money, so order it the way you like it.

Finding a good place place that you can get by public transportation is a must… You get to enjoy all the nice things the city offer

After trying different places this 3 are currently at the top of the list, they food and service makes them unique and repeatable. All of them present unique proposals, with their own signature sauces, or caramelized onions with beer. One common denominator is the use of high quality ingredients, cooked the right way. On top of spot on service that will make you want go again.

Now here the top 3 places we have found…

BITTER POPS (OFF Paulina Station – Brown Line)

More than a burger shop, here you will find a great selection of Liquor and Beer on their shop. The bar has a nice selection of beer on tap to pair with their specialty burger called Pop’s Double Smash-burger. Ingredients for the burger are Courage Lager caramelized onions, American cheese, Honeycup dijonnaise, and house made pickles on the side. The burger brings the right level of messiness. When you top it with fries and beer, we have the BFF combination (Burger / Fries / Frosty Beer). Just take the brown line to Paulina Station and a 2 minute walk to land in Bitter Pops, surroundings are nice for taking a walk after your meal.

Great neighborhood place…Very nice surroundings

2. NADC Burger (OFF Grand Station – Blue Line)

What happens when a pro skater and a Michelin Chef get together to create the perfect burger… You get 720 of awesomeness. It took them 2 years to get to the right recipe and what a great product it is. A short 4-minute walk from Grand Station-Blue Line, the place has a nice selection of beers and monitors showing skating action. It is a small place, but when the only dish is their signature burger for sure the wait is worth it.

They made ordering food very simple, just one burger available the NADC burger and fries. If you dare and ask to make your own burger this will be the response “NADC” (Not A Damn Chance). The NADC is a Double patty of 100% Texan Ranch wagyu beef, American cheese, secret sauce, onions, pickles, slightly tamed jalapeños. The Smash-burger has the right level of messiness, with the selection of toppings delivering a huge Umami bomb of flavor. When your menu has only one main entree and the place is full, you found a winner place.

3. DIEGO (OFF Grand & Ogden Bus Stop)

Before Smash-burger was a thing, there was the big burger patty. Diego one of the best Bar and Restaurant in West Town has a good burger to offer. During the summer the place has a nice outdoor patio, where you can sip some good drinks while enjoying music. Easy to get there by Train or Bus. One nice feature is the great Chicago Skyline if you walk 5 minutes in Ogden.

Their burger is called the TJ, a good size single patty with melted onion, pickled jalapeños, white cheddar, and a mayo macha salsa. Diego gets this burger right with a nice combination of ingredients plus a nice seasoned patty. The meat is delicious and the melted onions really adds a good element to the dish. You will find a good selection of beer on tap plus some Mexican favorites like Cerveza Victoria. They also specialize in cocktails and one of the favorites is the Flor Morada a Mezcal based drink.

Will continue the search for other great burgers, but don’t miss any of these places. Try them and have a great food experience in Chicago. If you have a great place for burgers, please share…

Thanks for reading the post. Please share it with your friends. Sign in to receive our updates. Also follow us on Instagram and Facebook. Search for #BORICUASLIVINGABROAD. Until next time….

Exploring the Best of Hong Kong in a weekend

Looking to have one last trip before moving out of Dubai and coming back to America, I decided to visit Hong Kong / Macau, these are the 2 Special Administrative regions of China. These territories were transferred from British and Portuguese control in 1997 and 1999 respectively. This designation provides high level of autonomy to both places, and it was designed as a path to integration to China in 50 years. They have their own currency, government, and immigration policies; something that will create good debate as we come closer to the 50-year mark.

Now, sharing some of my highlights about Hong Kong. You will find 7.4 million people living in an area of about 1,100 square KM (Puerto Rico has 9,000 square KM) making it the 4^th most densely populated area in the world and the city with the most Skyscrapers. Their public transportation system is massive including Subway, Tram, Ferries, Buses, and even a system of escalators that has been given the tittle of the biggest in the world. 90% of the daily trips are done in some type of public transportation.

Hong Kong is always in constant movement…

You can easily move from the airport to the city by train and be in the heart of the city in 30 minutes, once you are there the blend of old and new is incredible, in my case I went first to Macau by bus from Hong Kong international and took the ferry from Macau to Hong Kong after exploring the other Chinese SAR (wait for a post on Macau later). The Ferry from Macau is also a very convenient mode of transportation and drop you in the middle of the city, from there you can either walk or get transportation to your hotel. I stayed at the Mira Moon Hotel, great location to get from the airport and to go exploring the city. You will also enjoy the views from the room.

You always find Chinese characters along the city…

Want to share 5 things you must do if you are in Hong Kong for a couple of days, there are many other things, but I will say this can give you a good sense of the city. You need to remember that Hong Kong never sleeps so you will find activities around the clock, you will feel very secure around the city and would recommend the typical safety recommendations.

ENJOY THE HK SKYLINE FROM VICTORIA HARBOR

HK has an iconic and beautiful skyline, easily at the top of the list as one of the best in the world. It is magnificent to see during the day or the night, there are many points around Hong Kong to see and enjoy the views, one of the best ways is to take a ferry across Victoria Harbor and walk along the Avenue of Stars where you will have a great view of the Skyline, plus get to learn more about the huge number of celebrities HK has including the famous Martial Arts, Actor Bruce Lee. During the night you can go to a rooftop bar to enjoy the view at night and the daily show they have with music and lights.

2. SEE HK SKYSCRAPERS / SKYLINE FROM THE TOP

If you want to get a different perspective of the city and feel that you are on top of the world, then you can take the tram to The Peak in Victoria where you would enjoy an awe-inspiring view from Hong Kong. Once you get to the top, you can walk to the Peak Tower and spent some time above the Skyscrapers, here you will understand why Hong Kong is so dense with the huge number of buildings side by side. The views will vary depending on the weather you encounter that day, for me it was a so-so day, but you need to always enjoy the opportunities you have.

Only way to fill with more than 7 million people… Go Up!!!

3. VISIT A BEAUTIFUL GARDEN OR A TEMPLE

Hong Kong is more than buildings and the stock exchange, once you start walking and talking with local people you will understand a more real side, where tradition and history take center stage. I stopped at one of the most stunning places in HK, the Nan Lian Garden a Chinese classical garden in the middle of all the concrete jungle that will make you forget that you are in the Skyscraper capital of the world. Is here where you can re-connect with your inner self or spend time meditating, is a newer place but still provides great insights on the Chinese culture and the Yin yang philosophy.

Another place to visit is the Wong Tai Sin Temple, a 100-year-old place where locals go to get their prayers answered. It is a Taoism temple with focus on self-cultivation. If you go in the first 15 days January, you will see numerous visitors that got their prayers answered. Most of the visitors come to the temple in search for a spiritual answer; they light incense sticks, kneel before the main altar, make a wish, and shake a bamboo cylinder containing fortune sticks until a stick falls out. This stick is exchanged for a piece of paper bearing the same number, and then the soothsayer will interpret the fortune on the paper for the worshiper.

Full of People looking to get their wishes granted…

4. WALK AROUND THE CITY EXPLORE THE OLD AND NEW

HK is a very walkable city, ready for you to get lost; from walking across the markets and see locals buying their produce to visiting Lan Kwai Fong and have a drink in one of the many bars there is some much to see and enjoy. It was in Lan Kwai Fong that I met Joe another Boricua that was currently working there and is one of thousands of #boricuaslivingabroad making “patria” and showing the world what we are made of. One curious thing that I saw while walking around the city was that many buildings under construction use bamboo for their scaffolding, asking to one of the locals he said that the availability, weight and ease of use makes bamboo the perfect material for workers to work around the buildings while on construction.

There are good boricuas all over the world!!!

5. DINE AT A MICHELIN RESTAURANT OR TRY HK NATIONAL DISH

One of the best things of travel is trying their food, getting something to eat on the street or sitting at a fine dining place is a great opportunity to now more about their culture, ingredients and the people that live there. While searching what to eat in HK I found that Sweet and Sour pork is the national dish of this great city, with a quick search found Sang Kee, a restaurant with almost 50 years opened and winner of Bib Gourmand recognition. They have moved now to a fancier place, but the national dish is so simple that is the main reason it works; the sauce is tangy and full of flavor it has the right stickiness that helps get the right amount of rice in each bite. You must try this dish at any of the many places that serves it.

How you decide a place to eat when there are 79 Michelin restaurants, offering all kind of different foods. You search your soul, and I found Mono a restaurant owned by a Venezuelan Chef. In his restaurant he pays homage to his Latin American roots and serve top quality food. What a great choice for last dinner in HK, the food they prepare is superb, the way the team explain each dish and how they connect with you made it a night to remember. Please have that sourdough bread it is truly signature. They images talk by themselves…

Hong Kong might look and feel crazy based on the people density and walking through so many high rises, but after being there you can find space to breath and be on your own or connect with locals and learn about their life. Thanks for reading the post, please share it with your friends and sign in to receive our updates; also follow us on Instagram, and Facebook search for #BORICUASLIVINGABROAD. Until next time….

Just moved to Chicago… Uncovering some Food Treasures: Italian Beef, Deep Dish Pizza, and Puerto Rican Flavors

After almost 3 years living in Dubai, and exploring some of the best cities in that part of the world, we have now the opportunity to live in the continental USA. It is in the top 3 cities to live and the name is CHICAGO aka – The Windy City. Chicago a city that host more than 2.7 million people, making it one of the biggest in the USA after New York and Los Angeles.

It is the food, culture, sports, parks, and architecture offers that makes this place a great tourist attraction and more important a great place to live. Situated in the midwest in front of Lake Michigan on 1871 the city had the great fire a tragic event that left more than 100,000 residents homeless and 17,000 structure destroyed; but after the event Chicago literally rise from the ashes and from the ruins of the previous wooden structures arose more modern constructions of steel and stone including the world’s first skyscraper in 1885 using steel-skeleton.

Architecture in Chicago is truly amazing, so many buildings with their own story… Also lots of landmarks

Got transferred here in early June a good time to enjoy the Chicago summer at its fullest, the offer available is huge and you can do something different every day of the season. Landing in June presented the opportunity to explore the city and making it our new home, one key decision has been moving downtown to take advantage of living close to my work and to some of the best attractions the city has to offer.

Chicago a great city for sports and music fans…

In this post will share some of the best finds from a culinary offering the city has to offer, this places are must do in my opinion to get a local food experience. You will find many other places that offer similar food, for us this 3 have make a difference in get us to connect with the city quicker.

Portillo’s Italian Beef

This Roast Beef sandwich dipped in their gravy and served in a Turano French Bread is sooooo goood. When you order it, include the giardiniera peppers and dipped in the gravy while eating. There are many locations to go, but be prepared to make a big line to order since is always full. Maybe they were not the first, to do the Italian Beef but they sure have cracked the Italian Beef recipe.

Lou Malnati’s Deep Dish Chicago Classic

The founder started working in 1940 at Pizzeria Uno, where story says he invented the original Deep Dish Recipe, in 1971 Lou opened his first store and now it has more than 60 stores across 4 states. They have many varieties of their deep dish but my recommendation is to go with the Malnati Chicago Classic, this pie has their own Sausage recipe covering the entirety of the pizza with a great sauce and cheese. When you order is important to tell them to make it just right, the additional time is worth it, the crust and the mix of ingredients where you will have a mix of all the ingredient is a superb experience.

Lou Malnati Pizza ingredients including the sauce makes it a winner

Janellie’s Kitchen – Puerto Rican Food

After 10 years of living outside Puerto Rico finding a place to have home food was not easy; first finding your at home ingredients and second you don’t find big Puerto Rican population in Queretaro and Dubai. Settling in Chicago we are now living in one of the cities with the biggest communities of Puerto Ricans in the USA, currently Puerto Ricans is the second biggest latino group in Chicago after Mexicans. People have come from our beautiful island to Chicago since 1950 and the owner of this place landed here after the 2017 big hurricane that impacted the totality of the island generating a crisis that as of today we have not fully recovered.

THis tasted like home!!!! Very good food…

Found the place while talking with someone in a store, this person was a Puerto Rican that move here more than 15 years ago and of course we started having the new kid on the block conversation, We started talking about our stories and how we both landed here in Chicago, then I asked him where he goes to eat and feel back home and luck struck with the answer being Janellie´s kitchen. The following day we went looking for a good lunch but our surprise wads that we were transported HOME; My wife ordered Serenata de Bacalao (Codfish with Root Vegetables) and I got Rice and Beans with beefsteak, as an appetizer we got alcapurrias (fritter with green plantain, pork) and it was AWESOME, my wife described the experience as going back to her grandma house for a friday early dinner with family!!!

Don’t miss any of these places, they will be a great stop in your visit to Chicago and will add to the experience of this incredible city. We are shifting now to autumn, but there is still time to enjoy Chicago weather and will continue sharing some of the best things to do in Chicago. Thanks for reading the post, please share it with your friends and sign in to receive our updates; also follow us on Instagram, and Facebook search for #BORICUASLIVINGABROAD. Until next time….

F1 Saudi GP in Jeddah, shows how Saudi Arabia is delivering on their 2030 vision …

Jeddah has clearly learned how to do a big event and after coming back from the 2024 #SaudiGP and knowing is only their 4th edition this city knows how to make sure tourist come back for more. Not only the event was A++ but getting to know more about the city history and talking with the local people made it even better. Their Saudi 2030 vision is into full throttle, go to Visit Saudi and see more info on what they offer, plus requirements to enter the country.

First F1 experience and it was a treat… Cheering for Checo all the way!!!

Jeddah a port city in the Makkah province in Saudi Arabia was established in the 6th century BC along the Red Sea coast; there are some experts that say it was settled more than 2500 years. It is the 2nd biggest city in terms of population and serves as arrival point to millions of Muslims that visit Mecca, a place where they go for pilgrimage especially for Hajj a sacred Muslim pilgrimage that ever-able bodied Muslim who has financial means should do after Prophet Muhammad farewell pilgrimage.

In Dubai Airport, many people going for their pilgrimage… On the right a photo of Makkah (From a poster)

Getting to Jeddah from Dubai by air is a quick 2:30 hours flight, landing at the King Abdulaziz International Airport. Immigration and Customs were a breeze and the people there were very welcoming. Airport is big with good signage in both Arabic and English; for transportation we arrange a paid transport that was waiting for us to take us to the hotel. The hotel offer is huge and you have many recognizable brands and also local hotels to choose, we stayed at the Intercontinental Hotel were the room and location was excellent.

Very nice airport, that gets you pumped for the race

If you are a fan to F1, you will know that each race is a fun filled weekend of activities leading to the big race that marks the end of that week Grand Prix; if you are not a fan of F1 but like entertainment the event is like a stop of a big festival where you get to spend a weekend doing outdoor activities like games, concerts, and in this case an auto race with some of the fastest car in the world with speeds of more than 250 km/hr and 4.5 G´s in the curves (crazy stuff when seen live)

The event is identified as the fastest street circuit in Formula One and is done at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit a 6.174 km motor racing street-circuit built in a beautiful setting by the Red Sea in Saudi Arabia. The circuit staged the inaugural Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on 5 December 2021, it looks that the race will be here until 2027 before moving to Qiddiya a planned entertainment and tourism megaproject in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia being built under the Saudi Vision 2030 program.

Don’t think of the F1 race as just the race; during the 3 day weekend you have multiple races of different categories like F1 Academy, F2, Porsche Carrera and of course F1, also many entertainment activities like F1 simulators, games, airplane shows plus live concerts in our case artists like Pharrell Williams, Alicia Keys, Martin Garrix were playing during the weekend. The weekend is filled with so many activities that time literally flies, important to download the even calendar so you don’t miss all the action. Expect to spend 10-12 hours doing GP related activities and also, I encourage you to add some sightseeing to explore the city and get to know the local vibe.

More than racing is a mega event… With top artists and shows

I do not consider myself a hardcore fan of F1, but having the opportunity to see some of the best drivers in some of the best cars in the world racing one of the toughest tracks of the calendar was exhilarating. You see on tv these cars and look fast, but when you see them live in the track at the end of a DRS zone it looks like they are flying, simply amazing. We bought Grandstand B tickets and found a nice place to see some of the best live action (end of a DRS straight) plus a big monitor in front to follow the race. In my view you need to find a place where you can see good live action but also access to monitors, so you can follow all of what happens in the race.

Awesome Sunset by the Red Sea… Also the circuit from the ferris wheel

It was a hectic 3 days in Jeddah but had the opportunity to do some activities outside the GP and one of them was spending half a day in one of the local Beach Clubs (La Plage), arranged by one of my co-workers that lives in Jeddah. What a great place to relax, enjoy the Red Sea and chillax. If you are a Scuba diver, there is a station there where you can enjoy some diving and from what I read the Red Sea offers lots to see underwater. There are many great people in Saudi and my friend Farid clearly is an example of how welcoming people are and how they really want you to spend the best time in their country. Shukran my friend.

Nice to enjoy some vitamin Sea and Chillax before the big race…

The other activity before flying back to Dubai was an Old Jeddah (Known as Al-Balad) walking tour. Here in Old Jeddah, you will find many traditional buildings that dates back to the era before oil was found, it has been granted UNESCO World Heritage status in 2014 and the crown prince has issued a royal decree to restore many of the buildings. I know that this area will be an iconic place to visit soon with many restaurants, hotels, and museums based on all the refurbishing they are doing; here you will see some photos of the very nice architecture the city has to offer.

Old Jeddah is a must when going there… Great people and food

We finish our tour eating fresh seafood from Jeddah at a local restaurant, it was a unique experience, the recommendation was done by our tour guide Muhammad that showed us the city in a very detailed way, truly recommend him for the tour. It was a great way to finish our 3 days in Jeddah before flying back.

Jeddah is transforming and becoming an even greater city; their history and architecture; their food, and more important the people will make Jeddah a great tourism destination in the years to come. Thanks for reading the post, please share it with your friends and sign in to receive our updates; also follow us on Instagram, and Facebook search for #BORICUASLIVINGABROAD. Until next time….