With the end of August also comes the end of my summer break. I had a wonderful last month of vacation full of travel, delicious food, birthday celebrations, and more. A few smaller things also put a smile on my face:
Parking Panda
I used to dread driving into Washington, DC knowing that parking on the street was never a guarantee and lot-parking could be upwards of $20. Parking Panda has alleviated my anxiety tremendously. For those of you who don’t know about it, Parking Panda is an online service/app that allows you to reserve parking spots in city lots at a reduced rate. You just type in the zip code of the place where you’re trying to park, and Parking Panda will give you a variety of different places to park, showing you prices and distance to your location. It’s not available in all cities, but if it’s offered in yours, I wholeheartedly recommend using it!
Getting an international travel plan for my phone
Earlier this month, my mom treated me to an incredible trip to Europe. We visited Budapest, Prague and Vienna and had an amazing experience. Part of our travel was with a tour group, but I spent a good deal of time walking the cities on my own. This would never have been possible had I not gotten an international plan for my cell phone that gave me the same data allowances I have in the States. Many of my explorations were only possible because I could easily pull up Google Maps and figure out exactly which weenie, narrow alley I was on. The plan was $10 a day and totally worth it. Many of the more “locals only” spots would have been impossible to find if I hadn’t been able to use my phone.
The Doctor Blake Mysteries
I love murder mysteries, I love Australian accents, and I love period pieces. Thus, I love, love, love this show! The series follows Lucien Blake, a doctor who has just returned to his hometown near Melbourne to take over his father’s medical practice and to act as the town’s police surgeon. Doctor Blake drinks too much and doesn’t always like to follow the rules, but he’s absolutely charming and great at solving mysteries. He isn’t hard on the eyes either. If you like Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries (I sure did!), then you should definitely give Doctor Blake a try.
If You’re Not in the Obit, Eat Breakfast
This documentary is a total delight. Host Carl Reiner and some of his friends discuss and explore what it’s like to be 90+ years old: the good, the bad and the humorous. We get a peek into the lives of a wide variety nonagenarians and centenarians, including some celebrities (e.g. Betty White, Kirk Douglas, and Dick Van Dyke) as well as folks who aren’t famous, but have done amazing things. My favorite was a 98-year-old woman who walked with Ghandi back in the day and just recently took up he tango. After watching this documentary, I bet you’ll want to live your life to the fullest!
Mozart Chocolates
Balls of dark chocolate with a marzipan center and a musical theme– need I say more? 🙂
What made you happy in August? Share in the comments below!