It’s summer in the US, the weather is nice, and many of us have been cooped up at home for months to stop the spread of coronavirus. For me, that’s meant spending most of my time in a 600 square foot Manhattan apartment (with my fiancé!) with the occasional walk in Central Park or on…
Category: Destinations
Reflection and Reconciliation on Gorée Island
What is the island of Gorée and why should I visit? Located a mere 2 kilometers off the coast of mainland Africa’s westernmost city, Dakar, is a small island. Despite only being 0.11 square miles, this Senegalese island allegedly (we’ll come back to that) served as the largest slave-trading center on the African coast. The…
Tereré: Not Just a Beverage, a Philosophy
There’s nothing more Paraguayan than tereré, where drinking this ice-cold caffeinated beverage is a daily ritual. It involves dried leaves from the yerba mate plant, packaged in 1/2 kilo quantities (or more), poured into a cup called a guampa, infused with ice-cold water, and drunk through a filtered straw called a bombilla. The result is…
How I Visited Victoria Falls by Myself
The first views of the falls. Realizing that the water spray was so heavy in February that a poncho was not optional (unless of course you wanted to look as though you’d walked out of the shower). Having lunch at The Lookout Cafe, overlooking the stunning Bakota Gorge while zipliners whooshed across. A relaxing sunset cruise where I made new friends and even a professional connection. A quiet morning on the Zambian side where there were more baboons than people, where I saw the best rainbows, and where I took some of the most incredible photos ever. It was worth all of the obstacles to get here.
How to Spend a Week in Myanmar
Last Updated February 16, 2020 What is Myanmar and why should I visit? Myanmar is a country in Southeast Asia, slightly smaller than Texas with a population of 54 million people. It sits between Bangladesh, India, China, Laos, Thailand, and the Indian Ocean. You might know it by its colonial name, Burma. Myanmar is one…
How to Hike The Narrows in Zion National Park
Imagine that the only sound you hear is the flow of a gentle river. You gaze up at the towering red canyon walls. A thick layer of fog hangs overhead, with light barely breaking through. You notice that some snowflakes have managed to fall through the cracks, dissolving in the Virgin River. The water rushes…
How To Visit The Grand Canyon in Winter
Last updated 1/30/2020 I recently visited Grand Canyon National Park during the week between Christmas and New Years. I had a lot of doubts about going in the winter, and so many questions, so I’ve written my experience and research here for you! What is the Grand Canyon and why should I visit? This section…
Cape Town, South Africa: First Impressions
I’m on the road right now. If you’ve been following my Instagram or Facebook, you’ll see daily updates from Cape Town, South Africa. I’ve been hiding out in the southwestern tip of of Africa for the past week, living and working here. If I’ve learned anything so far, it’s that I can’t hope to begin…
How to See the NYC Thanksgiving Parade Balloon Inflation (plus new 2019 Balloons!)
Did you know that on Thanksgiving Eve in New York you can get a sneak peak of what’s to come in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade by viewing the balloon inflation? And though there are still crowds, you don’t have to contend with the 3.5 million people that flock to the parade route (or wake…
Why I Love Buenos Aires More Each Time (And Why You Will Too)
When I started Marissa Makes Food, I wanted to explore two loves: food and travel, and how they overlap (food from travel, traveling for food). I’ve focused a lot on the food aspect, but I’ve really neglected the travel piece! Starting now, I’m going to focus on at least one travel-related post per month. And…
Marissa Makes Food 