My muscles are flexed 99.9 percent of the time, probably even while I sleep. I get antsy when I wait. I don’t walk up stairs, I run, for no reason. I walk as if I’m being chased, as if what I’ve got to do must be so important. It’s not. I respond without thinking sometimes and if I find that I’ve got an extra minute, an hour or more in a day by God I will find some way to fill it. My life runs on the same clock as everyone else’s, but for some reason I’m built to think I don’t ever have much time.

That’s my ordinary life.

I like to travel because it doesn’t just take me away from my surroundings, it takes me away from my habits and it forces me to adapt to a lifestyle that just isn’t a part of my DNA.

In Budapest, I got to slow down. Yes, it was because I was “on vacation” but it was also because of the place. Mike and I learned that while the city is huge and bustling, there is no need to rush. We learned that fine lesson over the course of a few restaurant visits. What we at first misconstrued as a very busy waiter at our first stop, we came to realize that in Budapest, if you want your check you have to ask for it, every time. And it wasn’t a bad thing. It was a given that we were there to get away, to step away from our routines and who is anyone to rush us through that?

After our four hour art nouveau architecture tour we settled into Hadik Kávéház, or Hadik Coffee House, which is one of the city’s legendary grand cafes. It was originally opened in 1911 and was visited by famous writers and journalists. We sat upstairs, melted into a couple of comfy chairs and relaxed for four long hours…

We enjoyed a few local beers, I enjoyed this mound of heaven – chicken, cream cheese, noodles and Tabasco sauce…

…while Mike savored a wiener schnitzel.

Thankfully, I have these photos to remind myself to slow down when I get a little crazy.

How do make yourself slow down?

After a jaunt to the burbs, I’d get back into the city and head on over to Island Creek Oyster Bar.

I grew a taste for oysters when my dad started going down the Cape to dig them out of the ocean with his bare hands and bring them back for us to eat – in many forms. While cooking up a batch of Oyster Rockefeller, we slurp down buckets of them raw. You might say that when it comes to oysters, I’m spoiled. I’d agree. In fact, having this luxury makes it difficult to branch out. Why try other selections when the freshest possible are as far as a mere trip your parents’ house?

But Island Creek Oyster Bar is different – and I don’t just like them because I trust that they are fresh. What I like about them are their roots. Island Creek Oysters, founded by Skip Bennett, started as an oyster farm with a mission to grow the world’s finest oysters. Evolving from these roots, the Oyster Bar is designed to celebrate oysters with an emphasis on oyster education and a commitment to sustainability. To me, this mindset not only makes them a great source for fresh oysters, it makes them a great member of the Boston community. Hence my reasoning for bringing our good friend Bourdain there.

Island Creek Oyster Bar offers oysters from across the country, but the oysters they serve are delivered by farmers they know and trust. On a recent visit, I enjoyed a few local selections.

What you’ll learn at Island Creek is just how complex oysters really are. It’s amazing how different they can taste from each other even when separated by just a few towns.

There’s also more than one way to enjoy an oyster. For those who get squeamish around raw ones, you can also try them in the form of sliders. Warning: they are incredibly addicting.

Where else would you take Bourdain if he came back to Boston or, if you’re not from around here, your own city?

On Friday night Caitlin fed us incredible shrimp burgers that she made using a New Orleans recipe book that we got her as a gift at her bridal shower, in memory of one of our last trips. They were so good that there’s no trace of them here. They were gone before I even thought to get my camera out.

The next morning though, I got my act together when her incredible banana fritters came out.

After we stocked up, it was time to get adventurous in our Northface jackets.

We visited a lovely little place called Cold Spring, New York. The Hudson River separates Cold Spring and Bear Mountain, which hovers over the historic village. It’s only an hour or so away from Manhattan, but it reminded me of being lost in a village way up in Northern Maine.

It’s a place that in some ways is frozen in time.

And it’s dotted with boutiques, coffee shops, cafes and antiques…

…that carried some little treasures.

After a long day of window shopping, we brought our weekend back to its roots – the food. This little number held us over before a late night dinner and a night on the town in White Plains. Yes, you read that right, we partied in White Plains. It’s a crab pretzel that was baked and layered with a healthy dose of cheese. Unreal.

We didn’t remember to take a photo until Sunday morning before we hit the road. Thanks to Caitlin’s husband, Mark, we made it happen. We don’t look tired, right?

Next time…

During our road trip through Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, we had a hard time finding a full-bodied ale until we got to Halifax. Mike and I resorted to ordering a different beer at every stop in search for something that would satisfy our thirst for strong flavor, full-body and a lot of hops.

Finally, on our first day in the city, we discovered Garrison Brewing, whose ales are all natural and preservative-free. Garrison has been around since their inaugural batch of “Irish Red Ale” in 1997. They’re young, but they know what they’re doing.

Propeller was another favorite. They sell all-natural, British-style ales and lagers. Mike and I discovered this hoppy brew at our hotel in Halifax -  you know, where we became best friends with Mike Holmes. It very quickly became our go-to after a long day of sightseeing.

We moved on to learn about the brewing process…

We enjoyed the tour because it offered us a bit of history and context. Next time, I definitely want to spend some more time touring my favorites.

Do you make it a point to try local beer when you travel?

When Bourdain came to Boston in an episode that now seems like ages ago, he did just that. The theme encompassed the working-class neighborhoods of Boston, as inspired by an old crime novel that he loves, “The Friends of Eddie Coyle.” Based on conversations from fellow fans and reactions on his Facebook page, he seemed to get a lot of flak from locals, mostly for focusing too much on Southie. While I also wish that he expanded his scope, I can’t say that Tony didn’t deliver what he promised.

But if Bourdain did come back to Boston I’d have a few places in mind, which I’ll share in a number of upcoming posts. If I had to pick a theme, I’d choose places that stay true to themselves. Places that have managed to maintain a certain integrity no matter what goes on around them.

I’d start by taking him outside of Boston, to my hometown of Natick, MA. After all, this is my itinerary…

Casey’s Diner was established in 1922 as a horse-drawn cart operation. At the time, Natick was a hub for manufacturing. Back then people from Boston would commute to Natick for work everyday. Historically speaking, this place has a very unique tie to Boston because it not only fed a wave of working class citizens who fled to this suburb from the city for work, it’s also seen the suburbanization of this New England community, members of which now head back into the city to make a living.

Back in the 20′s, horses would pull the cart into the center of town and serve what I imagine were the exact same perfectly steamed hot dogs that they continue to serve today. When my brother and sister and I were in grade school my dad would pick us up on half days and take us to Casey’s for lunch. We’d order a hot dog a burger and for dessert, a classic Boston Cream Pie.

 [Photo credit: Bob L F]

The smell of a deliciously crafted ball of meat slapped onto a grill wafts out of a take out window and draws you to a trolly door that slams shut right after you’ve squeezed yourself through.

When Mike and I go to Casey’s we order a cheeseburger and a hot dog each, which are steamed in an old copper container (pictured below). Mike gets his dogs “all around” which includes mustard, relish and onions. I like mine with just mustard and relish.

I can’t deny that nostalgia drives much of my appreciation for Casey’s. Every time I go I am taken back to the days when my dad would bring my siblings and I after school. But what I also love is that it refuses to evolve into something it was never meant to be. The biggest change that Casey’s has faced over the years is becoming immobile. There’s so many places in the Boston area that try to recreate the wheel with certain classics – like turning a typical grilled cheese sandwich “gourmet.” But at Casey’s, you’re getting a steamed hot dog that’s perfectly cooked and snaps with every bite.

Casey’s also makes a delicious burger. Like their hot dogs, it’s simple with no frills but they’ll make it however you like. Mike and I like mustard, ketchup, onions and pickles.

When you’re lucky enough to grab a seat at one of the ten tiny bar stools, you’ll find yourself rubbing elbows – literally – with whomever you’re sitting next to. But it’s worth it. The walls of Casey’s is dotted with photos from it’s old days and pieces that reflect the history and culture of Natick.

If Tony came to your city, where would you take him?

So when my journey with Wholly Guacamole and Austin Andrews would allow me to branch out and catch up with the rest of the country on what it means to bowl, I jumped at the chance. Last night, I visited AMF Bowling in Georgia with Jennifer, Austin and Taylor – a fellow New Englander who was also knocking down those giant pins for the very first time.

To begin, I’m not very good at candlepin so my hopes weren’t high for traditional bowling either. Luckily, Jennifer – who was practically a pro – gave us some pointers.

Taylor and I joked in the beginning of the night that we could be the dark horses. Candlepin is known for being more challenging because you have to hit smaller pins with a smaller ball. After a serious rough patch, we did definitely got the hang of it.

So what do you prefer? Candlepin or “big ball” bowling?

For most of my teen years and early twenties I worked at a place that was famous for their fried seafood. I had immediate access to fish and chips, fried clams, you name it, any time I wanted. Those were my healthier days though, back when I ran track, played soccer, went running constantly and then went off to play rugby in college. I didn’t want to make fried seafood a habit so I didn’t always indulge in the battered goodness that surrounded me.

When traveling though, it just doesn’t seem right to hold back.

Halifax was teeming with restaurants, from pubs to wine bars to hip cosmopolitan bistros. But on one particularly tiring day, a simple truck did the trick.

As we made our way to the water, we stumbled upon Josh and Jedd’s Fish and Chips on Argyle Street on top of Parade Square. It was cheap, quick and easy, but the food had much higher standards.

We sat down in Parade Square to enjoy our change of pace, people watched, and savored our lightly battered lunch.

What foods do you break the rules for when traveling?

The lobster supper at this place is so popular, the waitstaff assumes it’s why you’re there, which definitely streamlines the ordering process. And why wouldn’t you be? Their five course supper offers seafood on top of seafood on top of a lobster…

We started with the bottomless cup of seafood chowder. It was probably my fourth cup since we left Boston, but Cardigan Lobster Supper made it their own with some interesting spices.

Next, we had mussels, which were simple, pure and delicious.

I did my best to pace myself to make sure that I’d have room for the actual lobster.

And that wasn’t a problem. After cleaning each and every plate, I went on to finish their homemade apple crisp.

We also couldn’t resist seeing what their “Cardigan Coffee” was all about. Presented like an Irish coffee, this coffee was topped with DK Rum, Kahlua and Grand Marier.

There was more to this place than the food though. The location was beautiful. We sat on the back deck overlooking the bay.

After supper we wandered the bay and watched the sun dip into the horizon…

It was the perfect way to end our stay in PEI before heading off to Halifax…

What foods take you somewhere?

Spontaneously, Mike and I decided to enjoy it by walking around the city. We had no plans and no timeline, we  just took the day one step at a time. After walking around the harbor, and getting our first accidental sunburns of the season, hunger stuck and we decided to grab lunch at the Barking Crab. Believe it or not, it was the first time we had ever eaten here and it was way overdue.

The Barking Crab is a clam shack that almost floats on the water. With lights curled inside tiny little lobster traps that dangle from a shoddy ceiling, the decor inside the Barking Crab is aquatic and unpretentious, which I loved. Inside, they serve delicious seafood, plain and simple.

We sat at the bar as we waited for a table, but when our bartender found an open seat by the window at the front he sat us right away. Almost immediately I knew I wanted to order a lobster.

I wonder what put that in my head…

First though, we started with local oysters. Though they couldn’t possibly compare to my dad’s, I was reminded why I slowly grew a taste for these cold, slimy little guys. The second they slide into your mouth, salt water floods your senses and it’s like you’re in the ocean.

Next, Mike ordered fried scallops that were lightly battered and completely filling.

And then came my lobster. I ordered a pound and a quarter and there was plenty of meat to be found inside those little claws.

Just in time for us to head back home, the sun decided it had had enough, and then a dismal fog fell back upon the city. It, along with the rain, is still here after all these days.

At least we got those few hours.