Cruisin' and Groovin'.

Need some jams for the road? Bring it. My iPod has been known to house some of the most random beats....you might say I have music tourette's. (Don't judge me) I have also been known to have the best travel tunes around, ya, I'm famous. 

But I know deep down everyone loves these songs and nothing makes you feel more motivated than some belting of "Don't Stop Believing" down the highway, which everyone really does see you singing despite you thinking you are alone (the same is true for picking your nose, we see you: just saying). So let down your hair, practice your head bob, and stick your arms outside of the vehicle, because it is time to road trip.  

Finger Lickin' Good, Y'all.

So, I bet you are wondering why I haven't posted in awhile. Or you really could care less. Either way, I will tell you where I have been lingering. Recently I went to open a few In N Out Burger's, sharing the love of the Double Double with the good folks of Texas and training some young-ins on the burger business. Not only did I wrap more burgers than I ever want to again, but I also got a taste of the best dang barbecue around.

Coming from Tucson, the land of 4th avenue hippies, gastro-pubs, and organic preferred restaurants; it was a shock to find that I couldn't find a single chicken breast that wasn't battered, deep-fried, or lathered in one of Paula Deen's signature food groups: butter. So if you can't beat them? Join them.

That is what led me to Hard Eight Barbecue, where not only are your potatoes loaded but so are the guns of the patrons. Yee-haw. You order straight from the pit and request by the pound. That one pound of pork of which is still on my behind. Nevertheless, it was worth it.

So enjoy, ogle, drool and travel on.

Alyssa

98.

98: 

1. The number of degrees of Nick Lachey.
2. The year of the first Roman Emporor (Trajan, for those who watch Jersey Shore instead of the History Channel)
3. Half of the number of countries there are in the world.
4. Finally, the number of followers on this blog.

Want to help change that? Want to get $25 for doing so? Well gee-golly, here's how you can do it. 

1. Go to the bottom of this page.
2. Click follow.
3. Log in with as many emails as you have (we won't judge you, even if it is cutiehasabooty25@yahoo.com)
4. A random follower between 98-150 will have the chance to win $25.
5. Make it rain.

Travel On,

Alyssa 

Ring, ring. The sea is calling?

Well when you say it that way...let me grab my bikini!

The Hole Shebang. Donut Destinations.

The Maple Bacon Sundae. The McGriddle. Chocolate covered bacon. Yes, this is America and we have found ways to sandwich fat filled food in between other fat filled food. Ah, freedom.

That is why we have also created a day solely devoted to DONUTS. Yesterday, June 3 was the official Donut day for the United States, so in celebration, if you should choose to go on a delightful donut road trip, here are a few places where you can find the best donuts in the country. Also featured is Abulafia, an amazing bakery in Israel I visited, where carb-comas, buyers remorse, and pure sugar highs (followed by other poor food decisions) truly exist. So enjoy, dream and drool. 

Donut Destinations

1. Jaffa, Israel- Abulafia 

          



2. Randy's Donuts - Los Angeles

A little hard to miss I'd say. So if you don't miss the gigantic donut on top, you don't want to miss this: buttermilk and crumb raised donuts. Can you say, uh yes please?

3. Round Rock Donuts - Round Rock, Texas 

Open at 4:00 am and only charging .55 to .75 cents a piece. Plus some are as big as your head, and if you read a lot that could be huge.  The college-kid's dream. 

4. Dat Donuts- Chicago 

Who needs proper grammar when you can have delicious home made donut here? Fo-sho.

5. Doughnut Plant- New York City 

Oh so you think you are fancy, huh? Well this guy sure thinks his donuts are. Gourmet flavors like: Organic orange, Pistachio, Valrhona chocolate, and Vanilla Bean. Fabulous!

Soul Plane? Werd.

Enjoy this flight in style. I just got the lady who points her fingers towards the exits, Southwest I expect more next time.

Travel On,

Alyssa

All of The Lights.

Travel through time lapse, lights and pure amazingness with Dominic Boudreault - Motion Photographer.

Timelapse - The City Limits from Dominic on Vimeo.

Get Lost on the Highway.

 

"Going Green" has been the thing to do since Oprah told everyone to do it. And by everyone I mean everyone in the world, because let's be honest, even the Amish watch her show.

People carry around their recyclable bags, we use less water (in Arizona, there isn't much water to use anyway), and we put our trash in the appropriate reciprocals. This guy, however, has taken it to a whole new level and is creatively making money out of used items.

What item you say? Signs using used license plates.

Levi Koenen has a Masters in Education and owns The Lost Highway Sign Company. He uses a tin cutter to create signs using license plates, rings, earrings, cuffs, and other recycled items. I met him at the Pima County Fair, but that's not the only place you can find him.

He has sold some of his art to the mother of Nick Foles (and other celebrities) and has now found some buyers in Japanese stores. Now with 48 stores carrying his product, including Pop Cylce (located in Tucson) he is well on his way to a creative payoff. Website: www.thelosthighwaysigncompany.com

 

So let's support travel, local art, and creativity: Buy Lost Highway Sign Company.

Shwarama Up Your Weekend.

I have a secret way of travel. It involves chicken, a stove, and an adventurous appetite. Doing these three things can transport you to Israel without having to spend the $1500 on airfare. Bonus!

When I went to Israel in 2005, I ate more pita bread than any wide hipped girl should ever eat. But the workouts I had to face when I came back were well worth it. Why you ask? One word: Shawarma. (No its not a special way to warm your food, but nice try) 

It was one of the few words that didn't involve the Hebrew throat noise that sounds similar to hocking a loogie, and one of the few foods that you could tell exactly what it was made of. 

So, here is the secret portal to Israeli markets, kosher goodness, and Mediterranean shores. 

Chicken Shwarama 

Ingredients

• 10 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 lemons, juiced
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoon ground pepper
• 5 drops yellow food coloring, optional
• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 4 pieces pita bread
• 1 tomato, chopped
• Shawarma Sauce, recipe follows

Directions

To make the marinade: In a medium bowl, whisk together the garlic, lemon juice, and oil. Add curry powder, salt, pepper, and food coloring and whisk to combine. Add chicken and coat with marinade. Marinate chicken overnight in the refrigerator.

Preheat a grill to medium heat. Remove chicken from marinade. Grill chicken for about 10 minutes on each side or until fully cooked through. Serve chicken on pita and top with tomatoes and Shawarma Sauce.

Shawarma Sauce:

3 cloves garlic

1 cup store-bought tahini

3 cups water

1/2 cup lemon juice

Salt

Add garlic to the bowl of a food processor and process until chopped. Add tahini and pulse to combine. With the machine running, slowly add cold water until frothy. Add lemon juice and mix until creamy. Season with salt, to taste.

Travel On, 

Alyssa Gallion

Dance...the Francais Way.

Sometimes words aren't needed. Love the French language and just FEEL the music!

Travel On,

Alyssa

Boots Are Made for Walking, Couches Are Made for Surfing.

Hang Ten, Brah. 

Need to get away but you are low on the cash? Perfect. 

All you need is a link to this site and a couch. 

Couch Surfing. org was founded in 2004 by people who believed that cultures could intermingle. Mormons, Quakers, Chinatown, Downtown, Hippies, White Collars and everyone in between are invited. In over 230 countries, Couch Surfing. org has connected over 1 million travelers by letting them crash on each other's couches. Sounds sick, right?

Well for those of you like myself who seem to attract creepers (especially during the Ins and Outs of working at In N Out) , you may wonder, "how do I know who I am bunking with?" Everyone who is involved in the process of "Couch Surfing" is given a background test. If you are sketchy, have some weird xenophobia (fear of strangers for those who don't like big words), or just shouldn't have people in your house because it should be on an episode of hoarders, than you will be denied. So I suggest, if you fall under any of those categories, please do not apply.

Still paranoid? Click here for some of the safety precautions the site provides:

http://www.couchsurfing.org/safety.html

So drink beer in Germany. Run with the bulls in Madrid. See the ghosts of the Tower of London.

And ride your couch into the sunset off into the great unknown world.

Travel On,

Alyssa Gallion

G'day mate. Meet: Peter Lik.

Wouldn't it be nice to do this as a career? Where it would be okay to have A.D.D and travel at the same time? Would be nice to have muscles and have a sweet accent too...


Peter Lik travels the world taking AMAZING photos. He has stores in places like La Jolla, California and Las Vegas. Now, he is introducing his new television show "From The Edge" on the Weather Channel. It premiered yesterday (March 31)


You can see what it's like to have one of the best jobs in the world and feel extremely jealous all at the same time. To see videos and other information on the show follow this website: http://www.weather.com/tv/tvshows/peter-lik


Here is a video highlighting what he does. Don't forget to check out some of his amazing photos below.


                              

Travel On,


Alyssa Gallion

Power Week.

This how many followers there are. In just one month!

25. This is how many slots are available until $25 is given to a random follower between 50-100.

Click follow to enter. 

Send me to study abroad in China. 

I'd love you forever. 

Stay Tuned,

Alyssa Gallion

Sixty-Five.

65. That's 65 followers in one month. 

Super duper! 

But guess what? We can get 100 by Sunday. And you can help! Whaaa? I know. 

Here's what you do:

1. Click follow on the right.

2. Log in with: AIM, Twitter, Google or Yahoo.

So there are only 35 more spots until...

A random follower gets a $25 gift card to a place of their choice.

That could be you....

Stay Tuned,

Alyssa Gallion

Tee-rific.

Shirt Happens - Ultimate Tee Tournament

 Do you doodle? Do you design? Then you are hired. 

If you win this competition you receive: $25 and a FREE Tshirt with your design

Design a Tshirt using the following requirements:

1. Use the On The Road A-Gallion name 

2. Use the website somewhere on your design (can be on the back or front) if you don't know the complete site it is: www.ontheroadagallion.blogspot.com

3. Can be of any topics relating to the site or travel (locations, attractions, etc.)

4. Email your submission to agallion@email.arizona.edu with the subject "Tee Tournament" and your name, address, email and phone number

Submission Deadline: April 8

Ellen Loves Us.

Apparently, Wilbur and Wilma love to travel too. Recently they traveled to the Ellen show because she chose them as her March Madness team. Well, see, even Ellen knows we are the best team out there. Obviously.

So enjoy a special tribute to the UA (my school of choice, and the school I will be representing in going to China this fall) and the Madness of March.

Bear down. Go Cats.

Day 3 of San Diego: The Del

We had gone to San Diego thinking that there would be sunshine. Silly us.

Wind, overcast skies and freezing water were the makings for our Spring Break.

However, despite the colder weather...it was hard to deny the beauty of the Hotel Del Coronado. Home to Marilyn Monroe's movie "Some Like it Hot" and the ghost of Kate Morgan, the Del provides a beauty and history like none other.

Plus, it was fun to see macho guys crying in the water because it was "freezing". Bonus.

Day 2 of San Diego. La Jolla: Shores of Sea Lions.

While at La Jolla Cove, the sea lions started running from the back of the rock to the front. Hm. That's odd.

Then one of the sea lions pointed his arm to the sea lion next to him, implying he was the one who had done something to make everyone run. Hm...wonder what he did? We will never know.

As for now, enjoy the photos.

5 Days of San Diego: Experiencing SD Through Food

Day one- Food in San Diego


Enjoy.

Stay Tuned,


Alyssa Gallion

Coronas. Not the Beer.

Jamming to the Coronas. Dreaming about San Diego.

List of things I need to do: (in case you needed a play by play)

1. Massage: Um, amazing..check.

2. Pedicure: Possibly will be ruined by sand between my toes, be jealous.

3. Packing: Why do girls need so much stuff? I am one and I don't even know why.

4. Forgetting the world around me and leaving it all behind: Ah.

Stay Tuned, 

Alyssa Gallion