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Starbucks (17 Avenue) – Calgary, Alberta

We found ourselves wandering around 17th Avenue when we decided to stop into Starbucks for some coffee. Located right on 17th Avenue where there’s a lot of traffic and foot traffic – and near a high school, it was busy as expected.

It was fall and I decided I was going to have a Maple Latte which is one of my fall favorites. The coffee wasn’t bad at all, but you can’t go wrong with anything with maple syprup!

We also ordered a Cheese Croissant and honestly it wasn’t that great. It was dry and it seemed old – which was weird as they’re so busy! Perhaps it was just coffee people were getting and not snacks/treats.

Overall, it was a nice place to sit and window watch with a nice cup of java (or alternative). The location is ideal but there are a lot of other coffee shops along the same street!

Starbucks on Urbanspoon

Starbucks – 17 Avenue SW

715 – 17th Ave SW
Calgary, AB
(403) 209-2888

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Tumbleweed Coffee House – Nanton, Alberta

I really love going to Nanton, Alberta to look at antiques and just exploring this little town. We decided to grab a quick java stop at Tumbleweed Coffee House right on Highway 2 (Northbound) and it’s located right next to the Chinese restaurant.

We just stopped in for a cup of Chai Tea which was very nice and perfectly spiced. It was the perfect cup of chai for a cold day!

Then, we also order a cup of London Fog that came in a really nice cup! It was once of the nicest cups of London Fog we’ve had, so it was delicious.

We also shared a bagel sandwich, and I believe this one was a Egg and Tomato Bagel which was decent. It was an odd afternoon where they weren’t expecting as much customers as they did so they were all sold out of a lot of their goodies.

Overall, this was a really nice and relaxing place to go to. Either to wind down or just for a quick bite – it’s a friendly and yummy place to be!

Tumbleweed Coffee House on Urbanspoon

Tumbleweed Coffee House

905 – 20th Avenue (Hwy. 2, northbound lane)
Nanton, Alberta

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Days Inn Athabasca – Athabasca, AB

We had a trip going quite North of Alberta – we were trying to get to Fort McMurray for a tour and decided to make a stop at Days Inn Athabasca which turned out to be a really nice stop!

The rooms was quite standard in size and perfect for guests looking for a long term stay. This room has a full size fridge with a freezer and honestly, the microwave sitting on the table was the best one I’d ever seen on Unclutterer, which quite surprised me as I hadn’t expected this in a hotel. The microwave will make it perfect for those who are looking to eat or store food. Our room had a King bed and it wasn’t decent. It didn’t look like the bed was made properly,but it may have just been the blankets that made it look saggy.

The bathroom was typical as well, but it did have quite a bit of counter space, so again, it would make it easy if you’ve got a lot of stuff for a longer term stay. There are tons of oil sand workers in this area and I’m sure a lot of them utilize this hotel.

The overall stay was really nice. It’s got a large parking lot, not far off the highway – yet it was quiet. Also not far from a lot of other amenities such as grocery stores and local bars and restaurants.

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The Mirage Hotel and Casino – Las Vegas, Nevada

I really enjoy trying new resorts on the Las Vegas strip, and we got the chance to try Mirage which is located pretty centre on the strip. A beautiful resort that offers a volcano outside.

I have stayed in their Resort King Room and it was really beautiful. One of our favourite hotels on the strip with a strip view. The king bed was very inviting and it was indeed very comfortable. The rooms here are quite quiet considering the amount of people and traffic. You can still get a great nights sleep!

The entry way of the room was beautiful as well as it opens onto a beautifully tiled spacious area. Tons of space for shoes and suit cases and there is a huge closet space as well.

The bathroom, although quite standard in comparison to the rest of the room was spacious and still very nice. Lots of counter top space for those who needs it and the shower had a nice pressure to it.

I do like this hotel, the windows to open a little bit to hear the volcano eruption and just to get some fresh air. This room definitely has all the amenities that you need including a stocked mini bar fridge, ice buckets, and a business desk with ports.

The pools at the Mirage are beautiful as well, although when we got here, they were closed for winter – which makes me have the urge to return to the resort and try out their pools!

The Mirage – Las Vegas

3400 Las Vegas Blvd South
Las Vegas, NV
702.791.7111

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Chili’s Texas Grill (South Trail) – Calgary, Alberta

I really enjoyed my experiences at Chili’s Texas Grill and when I had a bad day, we came to try the one at this South Trail location (130th Avenue SE) instead of my usual locations and there was a long wait for a table once we got there which always makes me happy as I think people like it and so they’re really busy!

We ordered their 2 for $30 special as we do often pick from that menu. We started with their Jalapeño Cheese Bites which came out piping hot with delicious ooey gooey cheese on the inside and crispy and crunch crust. There was a little drizzle of their chipotle pesto ranch sauce!

For my entree, I picked from their Fajita where we selected beef fajitas. The table smelled amazing the moment our waitress put the food down, and it was all I could stare at! It was not only a beautiful dinner, it tasted pretty amazing! They don’t have enough fajita wraps, but I really enjoyed just eating the grilled selection as it was with it’s condiments.

Then, the other entree we got with this special was their Honey-Chipotle Ribs which was a pretty good sized portion even with this promotion. The ribs were tender and juicy – just the way they should be. The sauce was delicious as it was sweet with some heat. It was perfect!

Our overall experience was a great one! There is always going to be a wait at any Chili’s location (the ones I’ve been too) and the food and service was amazing here! There’s no reason to g different location. Parking is a little limited and depending on the hour you’re going, traffic can be a little more chaotic – but it’s worth it!

Chili's Texas Grill on Urbanspoon

Chili’s Texas Grill – South Trail

4370 130 Ave SE
Calgary, AB
(403) 474-4159